It’s hard to believe, but it was twenty years ago today (apologies to Sgt. Pepper, et al), Reagan gave his famous “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” speech. (Doesn’t exactly fit to the tune)
I will not make this blog political, but I do like history. Thankfully, Communism is history for most of the world. The Bolshevik Revolution occurred a mere 90 years ago (October 1917) and yet the oppression it birthed has claimed over 100 million lives by conservative estimates. (Hard to believe, but just do simple math: Bolsheviks + Lenin + Mao + Ho Chi Minh + Castro + Tiananmen Square + well, you get the ugly picture…)
Anyway, way back in 1993 then President Clinton authorized the creation of The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. I’m not sure why it took them so long, but they are finally dedicating a memorial for the worldwide victims today.
In 1945 Japan was torn between becoming friendly to the US / English Democracies or to snuggle up with Soviet Russia. What a different place Japan would be today had they chosen differently…
