Shining Light on Ukrainian Independence…

5/Kp GroBdeutschland Group Photo

Our friends (& friend of the site Adam Bednar) in 5/Kp Großdeutschland has teamed up with some of their Ukrainian friends in producing this short about the Ukrainian Independence movement during the Second World War. It’s not a story widely known in the West, but Josef Stalin starved out (by best estimates) nearly 4 million Ukrainians in the late 1930’s due to Ukrainian recalcitrance & reluctance to submit to Josef Stalin’s iron fist. The independence movement was strong and – as Operation Barbarossa  unfolded during the summer of 1941) thousands upon thousands of independent-minded Ukrainians flocked to the advancing German Wehrmacht as liberators. This produced a source of manpower for the Wehrmacht, as many joined – not for love of National Socialism or Adolf Hitler – but to shake off Stalin’s iron grip. The so-called Vlasov Army was but a by-product. General Andrei Vlasov was a former Red Army General turned independent- minded Russian. Sad to say, the West’s treatment of these independent-minded & freedom-loving patriots is/was nothing to boast about. They were unfortunately lumped in together as “Pro-Nazi” forces and – at the end of the war – handed over to Josef Stalin. No one need speculate as to what sort of “special treatment” he had in store for them. To Winston Churchill’s credit, he argued in their behalf (against the aptly named Operation “Keelhaul” ), alas to deaf ears from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Uncounted thousands – and their families – suffered horrendously.

The Ukrainian spirit of independence still glows bright today as recent developments in Ukraine will attest to, much to Vladmir Putin’s chagrin.

Check it out – a very well done short beautifully photographed and well-acted. And place The Vanquished Series on your regular blog stops. Never know what you’re going to see, but trust it’ll be good and well worth your time. Keep up the great work guys, and however we can be of help let us know!

Merry Christmas to One & All!!!