we start with a paean to historical idealism

Wars end long before armistices are signed. A war's end, after all, is a matter of will, of spirit—and popular will is only haltingly, grudgingly reflected in the political machinery of peace talks.

"it's not a contest of production and material resources, it's just a Triumph of The Will."

it only gets worse from there, as the author argues that Ukrainian morale is "nearly euphoria" while Russian morale is in the gutter, as evidenced by their civilians' failure to dig in and fight regular troops:

Its citizens in Kursk fled the Ukrainian advance like smoke in the wind, leaving homes and possessions without so much as a whimper.

  • culpritus [any]
    ·
    edit-2
    4 months ago

    "it's not a contest of production and material resources, it's just a Triumph of The Will."

    hitler-detector

    In the Kursk salient, at least, I can personally attest to the eerie, almost surreal inversion of spirits between the people of Ukraine and Russia. The moral scales have now firmly settled on the side of the Ukrainian defenders, and it is far likelier that Russia itself splinters into its constituent republics than that Ukraine falls to its erstwhile invaders.

    Author was in Kursk with the invading AFU/NATO/Merc forces, but calls them moral defenders and RF invaders. The whiplash is intense.

    This is weapons-grade cope

    But the Ukrainians I've met simply cannot envisage a scenario in which they lose. They are prepared to fight in the streets to the last man, and their commitment to freedom is overwhelming.

    jesus-christ

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]
      ·
      4 months ago

      But the Ukrainians I've met simply cannot envisage a scenario in which they lose. They are prepared to fight in the streets to the last man, and their commitment to freedom is overwhelming.

      It seems the patient has a terminal case of FASCISM.

      I'm afraid there's no cure. We can only make them comfortable now barbara-pit

    • sexywheat [none/use name]
      ·
      4 months ago

      their commitment to freedom is overwhelming

      That's weird, I could have sworn that Ukraine outlawed labour unions, left wing opposition parties, and Zelensky's term has already expired and no new elections are being held.

      Anyway, yeah, freedom.