Anne Applebaum is wrong
Europe hasn't been a heaven of peace since the ending of the Second World War. Nor has the recent war in Ukraine shaken us in Europe out of that dreamy world.
First of all, there have been wars in the period between now and 1945. The Cold War was one major war. Various European countries were still at war. Holland in Indonesia, France in Algeria, Britain in Malaya, etc. Also violent struggles or wars against individual groups like Britain against the Provisional IRA, Spain against ETA, etc.
Secondly, the war in Ukraine hasn't at all awoken within us a fright for war. It's always been there because war has never been something in the past, moreover the memory of the Second World War was still there. The Cold War helped a lot with that. If Applebaum wants a comparision from then I'd say that the war in Ukraine will end up like the war in Korea.
Thirdly, the war in Ukraine isn't a major conflict like the brewing conflict in the Middle East is now becoming. Beside the fear of war there's also the fear of the consequences. Past policies in the Middle East were all about the steadying of the oil price. What happens now with the obvious 'regime change want' for Iran as a result of Israeli might is clearly much more frightening.
First of all, there have been wars in the period between now and 1945. The Cold War was one major war. Various European countries were still at war. Holland in Indonesia, France in Algeria, Britain in Malaya, etc. Also violent struggles or wars against individual groups like Britain against the Provisional IRA, Spain against ETA, etc.
Secondly, the war in Ukraine hasn't at all awoken within us a fright for war. It's always been there because war has never been something in the past, moreover the memory of the Second World War was still there. The Cold War helped a lot with that. If Applebaum wants a comparision from then I'd say that the war in Ukraine will end up like the war in Korea.
Thirdly, the war in Ukraine isn't a major conflict like the brewing conflict in the Middle East is now becoming. Beside the fear of war there's also the fear of the consequences. Past policies in the Middle East were all about the steadying of the oil price. What happens now with the obvious 'regime change want' for Iran as a result of Israeli might is clearly much more frightening.
