The "Prague Spring."

With apologies to Shakespeare, me thinks Mr. Putin hath bitten off more than he can chew.  

I think my fellow Patriots might find two quotes of interest at about this time in history.  Quotes that those of our fellow citizens who've yet to experience the reality of war might find of interest also...

Isoroku Yamamoto, the Admiral in charge of all Japanese forces at Pearl Harbor and beyond, is credited with having said just after that attack, "I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant."  And they surely did.  And I'm guessing one Vladimir Putin, the Russian despot dictator who just invaded Ukraine, will very soon learn that same lesson as well.

In spades...

Yamamoto was brilliant.  He was a Harvard-educated military scholar who spent several years living in and learning about America.  And learning to love it.  He then later found himself in the unenviable position of having to create Japan's invasion plan for Pearl Harbor.  He argued against it, vehemently, believing that it would serve to mobilize the American people.  He was also asked to draft an invasion plan for our Mainland.  He refused that order, giving us the other memorable quote for today's history lesson:  "You cannot invade the United States.  There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."

Good ol' Isoroku!

He was right, of course.  He knew that firearms are a part of our culture, even enshrined in our Bill of Rights.  He knew that we have taken up arms in defense of our freedoms, and could be called upon to do so again.  Like a "national guard" consisting of more than 100 million Americans owning more than 500 million firearms.

And I would argue, the more we have the safer we get.  

Sorta' like the lady who was pulled over by the state trooper.  He looked in her car and saw 14 rifles, 5 shotguns, and 23 handguns.  "What are you afraid of, lady?" he asked incredulously?  "Not a damn thing!" she said.  "Not a damn thing..." 

Putin has invaded Ukraine.  I assume he did so, from three sides, with an overwhelming force of some 190,000 soldiers, with tanks and trucks aplenty, and Sukoi fighters filling the skies, expecting the Ukrainians to roll over.  

They haven't.  They are fighting back, tooth and nail, and I believe they will do for their country what we did for ours, and, like Ukraine, could be again; fight for our freedom in the face of overwhelming odds.  Remember that little skirmish with the British back in 1772?  "Shot heard 'round the world," and all that?

In preparation to welcome Vlad's forces, the Mayor of Kyiv handed out some 18,000 automatic rifles to anyone who wanted one.  And they ran out of rifles before they ran out of folks who wanted one.  Indicative of dedication, I'd say...

I was within one hour of those soldiers being mobilized as a part of the USAREUR "Fast-Action Force" in August, 1968.  Russia (USSR) had invaded another country (duh!), this time it was Czechoslovakia.  They rolled their big-ass tanks into Winceslas Square, that famous 500 year-old showpiece in downtown Prague (one of Europe's most beautiful).  The Reds had spun their tanks on their treads, around and around, destroying the 500 year-old slate blocks that made the Square so famous.*  Our Army had readied us for battle.  I was locked and loaded, packed up and ready to go to the airport and a waiting C-130, just waiting for the call.

They called it the "Prague Spring."

It didn't come, fortunately for me.  I continued on with my service in Europe and others handled the Commies in Prague, you'll recall.  But you can imagine if I were willing to go help defend Prague, which I was, just how much more those who live there would strive to do the same?  To protect their homeland?

And now just imagine how much those who live in Ukraine are striving to kill every single Russian they see?  I would if I were them.  And they will.  This is Russia's "blade of grass."  This is Russia's "sleeping giant."  This is Russia's "Red Dawn."   

You would have thought they'd have learned their lesson in Afghanistan... 

*    BTW, the Czechs refused to repair the damage in that famous square.  They left it, as it was, with velvet ropes surrounding it, as a shrine to the horrors of war.  And now the Russians, the same folks who invaded Prague lo those many years ago, is reliving history with its invasion of Ukraine.  Don't you think maybe it's time to remove Russia from the Group of  Nations?  With extreme prejudice?