Victor Davis Hanson Debunks WWII Revisionism on Hitler and Soviet Alliance

Revisionist WWII Theories

• 💡 A recent revisionist theory, echoed by figures like David Cullum and Daryl Cooper, suggests the US should not have allied with the Soviet Union during WWII.
• 🎯 This theory posits that the US might have been better off letting Hitler and Stalin fight each other, or even allying with Hitler.

Debunking Prisoner of War Claims

• ⚠️ Professor Cullum's claim that the Soviets killed 15-20,000 American POWs is disputed.
• 🤝 Victor Davis Hanson states that agreements were in place for the Soviets to return American prisoners, and most were repatriated.
• 🧐 While acknowledging some unknown fates, the idea of mass deaths of American POWs in Soviet hands is unsubstantiated.

George Patton's Stance on the Soviets

• ⚡ The assertion that George Patton wanted to fight Hitler against Stalin is inaccurate.
• 🗣️ Patton expressed concerns about Soviet violations of Yalta and Potsdam agreements and suggested confronting the USSR militarily, even considering using German veterans if necessary.
• ⚠️ However, this was a post-war sentiment and not a call to ally with Hitler during the war.

The Holocaust and Realpolitik

• 🌍 The idea that allying with Hitler would have prevented the Holocaust is deemed absurd.
• 🎯 Hitler began killing Jews and other targeted groups from day one of the invasion of Poland and the USSR, well before the formal death camps.
• ⚖️ The decision to ally with Stalin was a realpolitik move, treating him as the 'enemy of our enemy' to defeat Hitler, a common dilemma in international relations.
• 🔍 Hanson emphasizes that Hitler's actions, including the systematic killing of Jews and those with cognitive disabilities, were inherent to his ideology and not contingent on the US alliance.