D-Day

The forces of freedom and democracy have launched the biggest response since the Cold War to Russia's assertiveness and actions. A massive war game has started in Poland, involving German tanks rolling eastward, which will certainly awaken some stirring memories; particularly given the potential for nasty accidents and the fact that Britain's leader has recently claimed to be the sort of responsible world statesman who will happily risk World War Three if it appeases a few noisy party baboons.

The choice of date may also be construed, should the Russians choose to do so, as a reminder of who really won the Great Patriotic War. Given Russia's recent aggressiveness, which is not a response to anything, least of all the reckless adventurism and demented rhetoric of the past fifteen years, this seems as good a time as any to send a firm yet tactful message that, so far as the Good Guys are concerned, the twenty million died in vain. The Russians, having no rational self-interest and no legitimate security concerns, regularly hold military exercises on their own account; but that, of course, is because they're meanies.