A new book detailing America's dealings with nazis after the war
http://whowhatwhy.com/2011/02/03/book-review-americas-nazi-secret-an-insiders-history/
Long-time readers will note that I've stated in the past how complicated things around WWII and its aftermath can get. The fact is that many sections and individuals within the U.S. were scared shitless of the Soviet Union by 1946. And nazis were scared shitless of being imprisoned or hanged. And so, a parasitical relationship was born. Germans claimed (and lied) that they had huge networks of agents throughout the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, ready and willing to work for America, but only through their German masters. This country desperately (and naively) believed that, and hired 'em on. I've always suspected that the Germans were full of shit, and everything I've ever read, (including this article) pretty much backs that up. But we continued, probably through a combination of fear of the Soviets, fear of admitting being taken in, bureaucratic inertia, and the fact that there was probably money to be made by one and all in continuing the charade. Give the devil his due - Stalin and his government were excellent at security, I honestly don't think the "nazi spy networks" contributed anything of importance to NATO or the U.S. - ever. One thing the Soviets would do when they moved into territory was round up any and every one who could be a threat - usually based upon their own extensive intelligence network. I know that there was some anti-Soviet guerrilla activity in the marshes of the Ukraine up to the early to mid 1950's, (under a group called the Ukrainian Insurgent Army). I'd love to learn more about this, but have a strong suspicion that it amounted to little more than banditry and harrassment, (I could be wrong - anyone know of a good history, in English, about them?)
Long-time readers will note that I've stated in the past how complicated things around WWII and its aftermath can get. The fact is that many sections and individuals within the U.S. were scared shitless of the Soviet Union by 1946. And nazis were scared shitless of being imprisoned or hanged. And so, a parasitical relationship was born. Germans claimed (and lied) that they had huge networks of agents throughout the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, ready and willing to work for America, but only through their German masters. This country desperately (and naively) believed that, and hired 'em on. I've always suspected that the Germans were full of shit, and everything I've ever read, (including this article) pretty much backs that up. But we continued, probably through a combination of fear of the Soviets, fear of admitting being taken in, bureaucratic inertia, and the fact that there was probably money to be made by one and all in continuing the charade. Give the devil his due - Stalin and his government were excellent at security, I honestly don't think the "nazi spy networks" contributed anything of importance to NATO or the U.S. - ever. One thing the Soviets would do when they moved into territory was round up any and every one who could be a threat - usually based upon their own extensive intelligence network. I know that there was some anti-Soviet guerrilla activity in the marshes of the Ukraine up to the early to mid 1950's, (under a group called the Ukrainian Insurgent Army). I'd love to learn more about this, but have a strong suspicion that it amounted to little more than banditry and harrassment, (I could be wrong - anyone know of a good history, in English, about them?)
posted by mendip at
1:10 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home