HISTORY RHYMES!

by | May 1, 2025 | Articles

Peter Sammons considers similarities between the pre- WW2 period and today

HISTORY RHYMES

My mother used to say, the lesson of history is that people never learn the lessons of history. Others say that history repeats itself. More recently a variation of this truism has become worthy of note: history rhymes. In this latter saying the idea is not so much that history literally repeats (so we are unlikely ever to see another ‘Dunkirk’ episode), but rather yet themes echo or rhyme down through history, apparently endlessly.

The Bible seems to make this clear where we see ‘types’ and ‘shadows’ of Christ in the Old Testament, repeated and opened-up in the New. Perhaps that’s a subject for a separate article ….

In the Bible (Revelation) we seem to have a repeat of Armageddon. Specifically, there is a difference between Armageddon which precedes Christ’s return, and the Gog-Magog war which appears to happen after release of the Beast from the Abyss. The first at the beginning of the Millennial period, and it’s echo at the end. Our schematic above (taken from my book “Last Days and End Times” – see link below) attempts to depict this, visually.

PUTIN AND HITLER

Recently parallels have been drawn between the actions of Nazi Germany pre-war, and the actions of Putin’s Russia today. Few serious Christians fail to recognize we are living now in a pre-war period, with the likelihood of general war increasing year by year; China seeks to dominate East Asia. India and Pakistan have unfinished business. Iran seeks nuclear weapons. Russia seeks to recreate a Czarist central European order. This latter is especially notable as Putin plainly holds a romantic, semi-religious view that it is his destiny to recreate the old regimen, and in this his State ‘church’ provides religious imprimatur. We have commented on this before:

Wars are easy to start: https://christiancomment.org/2022/11/28/off-ramp-needed/

Religious fig-leaf: https://christiancomment.org/2023/09/01/that-idea-again/

SUPERFICIAL

As regards Putin and Hitler a superficial comparison suggests patterns that echo:

Whilst this is superficial, closer analogies can be developed.

WHAT ELSE?

Other parallels between the actions and strategies of Putin and Hitler can be drawn:

1. Propaganda and Control of Media:

    • Hitler: Used propaganda extensively to control public opinion, demonize enemies, and promote Nazi ideology.
    • Putin: Maintains tight control over media in Russia, using state-sponsored narratives to shape public perception and suppress dissent.

2. Nationalism and Expansionism:

    • Hitler: Promoted the idea of a Greater Germany, advocating for the unification of all German-speaking peoples and expansion of territory.
    • Putin: Advocates for a Greater Russia, often referencing historical claims to territories like Ukraine and Belarus, emphasizing cultural and historical ties.

3. Militarization and Aggressive Posturing:

    • Hitler: Rapidly rearmed Germany in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, showcasing military strength to intimidate neighbors.
    • Putin: Increased military exercises and presence near borders with NATO countries, demonstrating military capability to project power.

4. Use of Paramilitary Groups:

    • Hitler: Utilized the SA (Sturmabteilung) and later the SS (Schutzstaffel) for political violence and control.
    • Putin: Has employed groups like the Wagner Group and other paramilitary organizations in conflicts like Syria and Ukraine to achieve strategic goals while maintaining plausible deniability.

5. Targeting of Minorities and Political Opponents:

    • Hitler: Systematically persecuted Jews, Roma, and other minorities, alongside political opponents, as part of broader campaigns of terror.
    • Putin: Targets opposition leaders and activists, often using legal and extrajudicial means, while also suppressing ethnic minorities in regions like Chechnya.

6. International Relations and Alliances:

    • Hitler: Formed alliances with fascist regimes (e.g., Italy, Japan) to strengthen military and political power.
    • Putin: Develops partnerships with authoritarian regimes (e.g., Belarus, Syria) and seeks to challenge Western influence through alliances and economic ties.

7. Instigation of Conflicts to Justify Expansion:

    • Hitler: Used the pretext of protecting ethnic Germans to justify invasions (e.g., Czechoslovakia, Poland).
    • Putin: Claims to protect Russian speakers and interests in Ukraine and Georgia as justification for military interventions.

These parallels illustrate the similarities in methods and ideologies that both leaders have employed to achieve their objectives, highlighting a pattern of authoritarian governance and expansionism.

NOTHING NEW!

Scripture reminds us there is nothing new under the sun! (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The above data merely serves to underscore that our world presently (always?) lives in a pre-war period. We should not be alarmed; rather we should seek our Lord and – if we have not done so – turn to him for forgiveness and new life. Other geopolitical signs of which the Lord Jesus spoke:

We repeat, we should not be alarmed as these things must come to pass. Man(kind) is the incorrigible sinner. He will go his own way. But our Lord is creating a family of those who seek and serve Him. Hallelujah!

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“Last Days and End Times – Making the Connection”, available here freely in PDF format: https://christian-publications-int.com/images/PDF/LastDays.pdf

And here in printed format:

https://christian-publications-int.com/Last_Days_and_End%20Times.html