History repeating itself

Andy lent me some books to read. The one I started last night was “Guernica: The Crucible of World War II” by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts © 1975.

The only thing I knew about Guernica was of Pablo Picasso’s 1937 oil painting of the event, said to be “one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history.” As I’m not a fan of Cubism/Surrealism art, I don’t care for his work, and this painting is especially disturbing/ugly. I just knew it was his depiction of what happened to Guernica, and war and destruction is ugly.

I thought it had something to do with the Spanish Civil War (which it did), but, after watching a PBS series on “The Rise of Fascism in Europe” and now beginning to read this book, I understand the painting and the reason behind it. (I still don’t want to look at it. It is disturbing. But I understand.) Now, I’m finding out it also had to do with Hitler and the rise of that man’s power in Germany and the eventual WWII.

(Hitler used Guernica as training for his air force in preparing his own world takeover.)

So, I read the first six sections – short clips from various people leading up to the bombings. The stories from both sides – or should I say multiple sides, from the Basques living in Guernica and that northern side of Spain, refugees swarming in from the south where Franco’s troops were moving in to take over the country. (I’m still confused as to who were the nationalists and who were the republicans.) Then there were the Germans Franco asked Hitler to send in to aid in his cause.

Now, this morning, as I’m working on my morning pages (journaling), my mind is on fire with thought. The main one being what I’m seeing from history is being repeated today in this country. And I can’t help but wonder, haven’t we learned anything from history?

My own remembrances of history class in school is sketchy. All I remember about history (vaguely) class was having to memorize dates. It wasn’t about politics or people. It was mostly about wars, bad guys against good guys. How much of what was taught kids in the ‘60s and ‘70s is the real truth?

Looking back now, it was about reading a (b-o-r-i-n-g) history book and having to take tests on stuff that felt meaningless. I don’t remember people stories, their personal horrors (except for “The Diary of Anne Frank). We learned the names of leaders and officers and some of the battles and names of wars and dates.

But what I was taught in school, isn’t important now. Especially knowing what we were taught back then wasn’t necessarily the truth. So, I’m wondering how history could be taught differently (I’ve also heard it isn’t taught in schools anymore).

History does repeat! All you have to do is look back through the ages and see similar things happening over and over. Times change, technology changes, but some things repeat – like one group of people wanting to take control over others. I guess it’s human nature.

Go back to the ancient Egyptians, the Romans, the Vikings, Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Japan, China, the Soviet Union. There are so many similarities. History shows us leaders look to expand, especially when resources in their own countries get low. The Vikings, Britain, France, Spain, Portugal traveled across oceans and “conquered” the indigenous peoples. African tribes warred amongst one another. All the victorious nations enslaved the losing survivors and stole their precious resources.

Whomever had the bigger military. Whichever leaders used their own charisma to set themselves up as gods and convince their people they knew what was best. Then once they had full power … their greed and egomania … and they’d start eliminating anyone who disagreed. They were/are all human.

Great leaders (and great in this context doesn’t necessarily mean good people) know how to manipulate the masses. Tell people what they want to hear and win their votes. It doesn’t matter if the leaders actually do what they promise. People believe the promises. Look at Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin – heck, consider Jim Jones, Sun Myung Moon … Charles Manson, for that matter.

If people were taught the truths (and not the propaganda), because, after all, isn’t one point of history is to learn from past mistakes? We shouldn’t be erasing history. We should be learning from it.

No one person or group ever has all the answers. Humans are humans. We all need freedom of thought, speech, and creativity. And there will always be good and evil. It’s human nature. I also don’t believe there will ever be “true” peace. Again, it’s because of human nature and there are always some who want to take what someone else has.  (I put “true” in quotes because the only way for total peace would be to take away every person’s right to think and act for themselves.)

Good versus evil. Perhaps this is part of the human condition, too. Maybe it’s part of our lessons here on earth. All I know is that, for me, I just want to be a good person and do good work. I strive to live wholeheartedly, even on days when it’s a struggle to curtail anger and frustration. When I see pictures of destruction and riots, it’s hard not to lose hope. It’s hard not to slide into hatred with what I’m seeing. 

My remedy to protect myself from depression is to look out at the brook (even though there’s very little water flow), enjoy what’s left of my gardens now the summer season is over, have great conversations with friend, snuggle with my fluffy Pele fur ball, add spots of beauty around my house, and spend time painting in the studio.