What is happening in Ukraine is somewhat reminiscent of 1938 when Hitler demanded the Sudetenland where a large ethnic German population lived. We know how that confrontation turned out.

It has been reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to restore land lost when the Soviet Union ended. How crazy is Mr. Putin, and how much resolve do the Western nations have?

Mark Twain said, “History doesn’t repeat itself — at best it sometimes rhymes.” That is the danger I see here. Furthermore if there are economic sanctions against Russia because it will not retreat from Ukraine, this could destroy the world’s economy, adding to the danger.

FREDERICK J. ROKASKY
Squirrel Hill

First Published: March 5, 2014, 12:16 a.m.