In recent times, the world has witnessed a series of events that have profoundly impacted the global community. One such event is the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has drawn international attention and concern. As a web designer, I had the privilege of collaborating with historian Keith Lowe to create “Historians for Ukraine,” a website dedicated to uniting historians in opposition to the war in Ukraine.
The Purpose of Historians for Ukraine #
Founded by Keith Lowe, Historians for Ukraine serves as an open letter to historians around the world, urging them to stand against the war in Ukraine. The website aims to gather signatures and support from historians who believe in the importance of peace and the need to address historical injustices that contribute to current conflicts. By signing the letter, historians can express their opposition to the war and advocate for peaceful resolutions.
An Open Letter to the People of the USA #
This May sees the 80th anniversary of one of the greatest moments in our shared history. During the Second World War, nations across the world stood together against Nazi Germany, with the United States and Europe forging an enduring bond through shared struggle and sacrifice.
Today the principles that united us in the fight against tyranny—freedom, democracy, and truth—are once again under siege. Putin’s Russia seeks daily to undermine our freedoms, our unity and our friendships through bellicose activity and campaigns of disinformation. Most shamefully, it invokes the memory of the Second World War to justify its most appalling behaviour.
We historians, curators and memory professionals of Europe, are deeply concerned at the volume of Russian disinformation that has recently begun to creep into American narratives, not only on social media but also in the mainstream media and even in government discourse. The purpose of this disinformation is to strike at the thing we hold most dear – our common values – and to drive a wedge between Europe and America.
There has been so much falsification of history coming from Moscow that we feel the need to assert some basic facts about the past. In 1939 Hitler’s Nazi Germany began the war by attacking Poland. But at that time the Soviet Union was Hitler’s ally and invaded Poland too. The official Russian narrative about the Second World War – that it was started by Poland – is entirely false.
Shortly after the start of the war, the Soviets also attacked Finland. Then in 1940 they invaded and annexed Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Each of these attacks was completely unprovoked. There was nothing consensual or lawful about them, despite Vladimir Putin’s repeated claims.
The Soviet Union suffered horrifying losses during the Second World War, but a lot of those losses occurred in Ukraine and concerned the Ukranian people. Putin’s assertion that Ukraine today glorifies the Nazis and their collaborators is not only factually incorrect but insulting to this nation’s own tragic history.
While the Red Army liberated Eastern Europe in 1944 and 1945, the peoples in these countries did not experience the subsequent presence of the Soviets as liberation. Eastern Europeans were forced to live for the next 45 years under repressive Communist governments that were not of their own choosing.
The truth of this history can be found in Russia’s own archives, which were briefly opened to the world in the 1990s. In today’s Russia, however, speaking freely about history has become an extremely dangerous task. New Russian laws have been passed making it illegal to criticise the Red Army or any of its veterans. Books revealing Soviet crimes have been banned, museums and institutions shut down, and the Russian archives closed to independent researchers.
The reason this fight over our history is so important is that Putin has weaponised the memory of the Second World War in order to justify today’s invasion of Ukraine – a country he falsely claims is a ‘Fascist state’ in need of ‘denazification’. Russia denies Ukraine’s right to exist as a sovereign nation, and blames Ukraine for starting the current war. We are facing a flood of disinformation coming from Moscow, both about the past and about the present. This underscores the importance of solid historical knowledge and critical examination of information.
As the anniversary of VE Day approaches, we ask you to put aside any political differences that are provoked by trolls on both sides of the Atlantic, and then magnified by Moscow. Remember the ties that bind us. Those ties were forged on the battlefield and galvanised by 80 years of friendship and alliance. Disinformation seeks to divide us, but our shared commitment to freedom and democracy must prevail.
Most importantly we ask you to stand behind Ukraine. We hope that with American help a diplomatic solution to this conflict can be found, but we ask you always to keep in mind that Putin is the aggressor here: he should not be rewarded for menacing the free peoples of the world. Any peace deal must keep in mind Ukraine’s fundamental right to remain a sovereign nation, and to defend itself if attacked again in future.
On May 8th this year, we will stand by your side to honor the men and women who served during the Second World War. They answered the call of their countries, shaping the course of history and contributing to the restoration of peace, democracy, and freedom. By standing together in defense of these values today, we reaffirm our commitment to preventing a return to such devastating conflict.
Why Historians? #
Historians have a unique role in society. They are tasked with understanding and interpreting the past, but their work also has implications for the present and future. Historians for Ukraine seeks to leverage this expertise to contribute to the discourse surrounding the war in Ukraine and to promote peaceful alternatives.
My Role as a Web Designer #
As the web designer, my goal was to create a platform that is both visually appealing and easy to navigate, ensuring that the message reaches a wide audience. I worked closely with Keith to bring his vision to life, creating a digital space where historians can unite and make their voices heard.
How You Can Get Involved #
If you are a historian or an academic in a related field, I invite you to visit the Historians for Ukraine website and add your signature to the open letter. Your support is invaluable in demonstrating the collective voice of historians who oppose the war. Additionally, you can help spread the word by sharing the website with colleagues and on social media platforms.
photo: Elena Tita / the Collection of war.ukraine.ua