Waking the Sleeper: From Sarajevo to Ukraine, Marching Unawares into Another World War

SLEEPWALKING AGAIN: SARAJEVO 1914 - UKRAINE 2022

by James Bissett (former Canadian Ambassador to Yugoslavia, Albania, and Bulgaria.)

 

March 27 2022

Ten years ago, the British historian Christopher Clark’s book, “The Sleep Walkers,” described how the leadership of the European powers blundered their way into starting the First World War and causing the death of over fifteen million people. Today we are witnessing another “sleepwalking” tragedy as a war causing death and destruction rages across Ukraine and threatens the possibility of a nuclear catastrophe.

 

 

As in Sarajevo in 1914, the conflict today in Ukraine was unnecessary, and caused by the ineptitude on the part of the US led NATO powers. On the surface the issue seemed to be easily resolved. It centered on the expectation that Ukraine would become a member of NATO, an action opposed by Russia. It is impossible to believe that the Americans and other NATO leaders did not foresee that such an act would be interpreted by the Russians as cause for war.