The Historical Guide to Dealing with Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine

Published March 14, 2023

After World War I, international law was established that banned biological and chemical weapons and attempted to shield civilians from the horrors of total war. Many believed that the intentional targeting of civilian populations would end. The Spanish Civil War of 1936 to 1939 shattered these illusions. Much like the experience of the 1930s, the invasion of Ukraine is shattering the illusion that aggression is a relic of the past, and a reminder that warmongering must be deterred by forceful resistance.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why was the invasion of Ukraine such a surprise to the West?
2. Is the United Nations better than the League of Nations?

Additional Resources:

• Read “Our Spanish Civil War?” by Victor Davis Hanson via Independent Institute. Available here.
• Watch “War Crimes in Ukraine: The Pursuit of International Justice,” with H. R. McMaster and David Schwendiman, on Battlegrounds. Available here.
• Read “NATO’s Nordic Realignment,” by Thomas Henriksen via Defining Ideas. Available here.