Selective Memory: The Forgotten Role of the Soviet Union in the Liberation of Europe
| By Marc Vandepitte Global Research, May 09, 2025 Soviet Army: Engine of the Liberation of Europe In May 1945, the Red Army marched into the German capital, culminating in the capture of Berlin on May 2nd. The raising of the red flag above the Reichstag became the defining visual symbol of the destruction of Hitler’s Third Reich. The battle that preceded this moment was unprecedented in its scale and brutality. From 1941 onwards, the Soviet Union engaged in a devastating all-out war against Nazi Germany. Tragically, more than 26 million Soviet citizens, both soldiers and civilians, perished. No other nation endured such a staggering loss of life. The decisive battles of the war unfolded on the Eastern Front: Moscow, Leningrad, Stalingrad, and Kursk became synonymous with deadly fighting that ultimately turned the tide of the conflict. Historians widely agree that without the immense efforts and sacrifices of the Red Army and the heroic resistance of the Soviet people, the Nazi war machine would never have been stopped. The Ambiguous Role of the United States Yet, this pivotal contribution is often underemphasized in Western countries. The reason lies in the fact that the historical reality of the war complicates the simplistic “good war” narrative, where the U.S. is portrayed as the sole moral compass defeating fascism purely out of altruism. The role of the U.S. was, in fact, highly ambiguous. As historian Jacques Pauwels meticulously documents, American companies continued to engage in trade with the Nazi regime well into the 1930s. Major corporations such as IBM, Standard Oil, and Ford amassed considerable fortunes through German rearmament and production. Notably, American companies supplied petroleum products to Nazi Germany until December 1941. Within the American establishment, there was also open sympathy for Nazi Germany and other fascist regimes. Henry Ford, for example, was a known admirer of Adolf Hitler. Furthermore, a significant movement within the U.S., known as ‘America First’, strongly opposed American involvement in European conflicts. Even after Germany’s invasion of Poland in September 1939, there was no immediate financial support or arms supply from the U.S. This stance only shifted after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Effectively, the U.S. waited two years before joining the Allies. Fascism’s Roots in Big Capital It is a fact often overlooked or deliberately obscured that fascism, both in Italy and Germany, emerged from within capitalist systems. It served as a tool to suppress the labor movement and leftist political forces. Without the substantial backing of big capital, Hitler would never have been able to establish his fascist party or achieve electoral success. The same holds true for Mussolini. Image: ‘The meaning of the Hitler salute. Millions stand behind me.’ Photo: Photomontage by John Heartfield for AIZ Berlin magazine, October 16, 1932 After the war, these connections were carefully concealed. During the Nuremberg Trials, industrialists with known Nazi ties frequently received lenient sentences or were completely acquitted. The German elite of bankers and factory owners who played a crucial role in bringing Hitler to power largely escaped accountability, primarily due to protection from the American occupation authorities. The Silenced Heroes of Resistance The defeat of fascism was not solely the achievement of the Soviet army. Millions of civilians and partisans across Europe also played a vital role. In Yugoslavia, France, Italy, Greece, and many other European countries, the resistance movement was vibrant and active. Communists, trade unionists, workers, and students courageously risked their lives in acts of sabotage, strikes, underground networks, and armed resistance. Resistance fighters undertook perilous missions to smuggle food, hide refugees, and actively resist the Nazi occupation, knowing that such actions could lead to torture or death. This resistance effort enjoyed broad support among the general population. The renowned May strike of 1941 in Belgium (from May 10 to 18), during which hundreds of thousands of workers laid down their tools to protest against the Nazis, stands as one of the largest acts of resistance in occupied Europe. Despite their significant contributions, these acts of resistance have often been marginalized or omitted from official historical accounts, mirroring the systematic silencing or denial of the crucial role played by communists in the broader resistance movement. To properly honor these courageous resistance heroes and ensure their memory endures, the initiative Helden van het Verzet (Heroes of the Resistance) was founded in Belgium by historian Dany Neudt and writer Tim Van Steendam. Since August 2022, this organization has been diligently publishing concise biographies of resistance fighters daily on their website and social media platforms, striving to bring their remarkable stories to greater public awareness. The Enduring Importance of Remembrance Today, the lessons from that era are more pertinent than ever. The resurgence of far-right forces across Europe, the normalization of hate speech, and the rise of authoritarian leaders present a clear threat to the very freedoms for which so many individuals sacrificed their lives. The ongoing war in Ukraine has further fueled a dangerous form of historical revisionism. In the name of opposing Putin, any reference to the Soviet past is treated with suspicion. Consequently, commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany is now often misconstrued as “glorifying Russia.” This dangerous trend risks replacing genuine tribute to the liberators of Europe with selective amnesia and historical distortion, ultimately feeding the very extremism it claims to combat. Historical truth must not be allowed to become a casualty of contemporary geopolitical animosities. World War II was not merely a conflict between nations; it was a fundamental clash between ideologies. On one side stood fascism, racism, colonialism, and genocide. On the other, anti-fascist resistance, international solidarity, and social justice. Therefore, remembrance is not a passive ritual but a profoundly political act. If we forget who truly defeated the fascists, we also risk forgetting who is vulnerable today and who might once again seek to exploit hatred, oppression, and division for their own gain. Recognizing this, a growing call is emerging in various western countries to reinstate May 8th — Victory Day — as an official, paid public holiday. This is not intended as a nostalgic gesture but as a crucial day for remembrance, reflection, and vigilance. On this day, we commemorate not only the fall of Hitler but also the power of popular resistance, the strength of solidarity between nations, and the vital lessons of the socialist experiment that played a significant role in dismantling fascism. What May 8th teaches us is that freedom is not a guaranteed right but the direct result of determined struggle. It was the Soviet Union that bore the brunt of the sacrifices. It was communists and workers who were at the forefront of the resistance. It was international solidarity that ultimately shattered fascism. We must not allow this history to fade from memory, not out of mere nostalgia, but out of absolute necessity. |
