The Gods of the Copybook Headings

Rating: 8/10 (1 February 2015)

"We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn: But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind, So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind." (The Gods of the Copybook Headings by Rudyard Kipling)
War, as it is - even a little bit embellished - dirty and ruthless.
To understand what "Fury" is and why all were so and not otherwise, you should look back a little, and then look around.
After the "humiliating" for the "imperial nation" Treaty of Versailles, Germany rather quickly disillusioned in liberal democracy of the Weimar Republic. Although after the hyperinflation economy finally stabilized, but only to be immediately "decimated" by the global economic crisis. New energetic leader and disgruntled by the defeat in the Great War military leaders whispered to Germans about betrayal, conspiracy of treacherous West against Germany, which was not defeated on battlefield and capitulated only due to the cunning and treachery of the liberal politicians. And the Third Empire began to "get up off its knees" under active and simply tacit approval of the German people, who listened enthusiastically every word their charismatic leader said.
"They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds" (Jer. 14:14).
With its "special path", the bearer of an "unique Aryan gene", Germans, according to the Fuehrer was the only beacon of civilization, against which the rest of the world fought. But now Germany is as strong as ever. Western leaders, all these "Daladier and Chamberlains" were despised by Hitler as weak-willed and cowardly. They "swallowed" the Austrian Anschluss, the annexation of the Sudetenland, the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia, accepted the infamous Munich Agreement. Meanwhile not confined by liberals and democrats and not burdened with the "bourgeois morality", the energetic leader behaved with unprecedented arrogance and rudeness. Together with his teacher from the East, he dismembered Poland. Then easily captured France. There only a defiant England left with this funny old man Churchill. Authoritarianism, when critics "do not rock the boat" with the stupid "democracy", confirmed its benefits - at that time, as democracies swayed in doubts, authoritarianism confidently went forward.
"There are no innocent. There are only varying degrees of responsibility."
Meanwhile Jews were murdered in the gas chambers, from the East echelons of slaves arrived in Germany, while remaining were treated almost as mercilessly as by the Soviets. And all this is either with the active support of, or with the acquiescence of, or even indifference of the German people - finally "raised from their knees." "There are no innocent" - everyone took part in building of the Third Reich - someone shot, and someone produced shells. Difference only in the degree of responsibility. They're not going to give up - "carriers of unique gene" are invincible in battle, they have a "wonder weapon" and a great leader.
"Each person can err, but to persist in error is peculiar only to fool."
Germans did not give up - they lived in a fictional reality of Goebbels's propaganda by which they were not deceived, but which gave them a great opportunity to deceive themselves and to ignore reality. Lie was their truth. But reality, even if it does not noticed, does not cease to be reality - "brilliant" leader who's "effective" government wasn't restrained by the "democratic criticism", quickly braked his country's neck, exactly because of the lack of democratic criticism, which may have returned him to reality. He also lived in illusions.
"And that after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins, As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn, The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!"
So, the reality that the Germans were so hardly trying to keep out of their doors, hiding behind the veil of propaganda lies, furiously smashed the doors of German homes, destroyed walls, killed old people and children, raped women, murdered men - actively supporting, tacitly endorsing or simply indifferent. It turned out that there is truth, despite all lie's efforts to hide it. And if you do not give up in your misconceptions, if you persist in lies - the truth will burst violently, relentlessly, destroying all in its path - there will be no innocent!
This applies to the past and to the present. "Fury" is a reminder to all about the price of "mistake" and persistence in delusions. Everyone will pay for the "mistake" - active and silent and indifferent - and payment after collision with reality will be cruel. Yet another "imperial nation", disillusioned in liberal democracy now tries to hide from reality under the curtain of lies. Russians believe that they have been never defeated by the West on a battlefield, and Soviet Union would have been victorious if not for the West conspiracy. They believe that Russians are bearers of the unique "genes" and are only beacon of civilization in the declining world. They despise Western leaders, considering them weak. Russians adore their charismatic leader - Putin. They are happy with the annexation of the Crimean peninsula, murder of thousands of Ukrainians and destruction of Donbas, boasting to turn USA into radioactive dust. They are leaving in illusions, considering themselves innocent. Yet their collision with reality is inevitable.
"As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man — There are only four things certain since Social Progress began: — That the Dog returns to his Vomit and the Sow returns to her Mire, And the burnt Fool's bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;"