David Friedman kirjoitti:
> Anton writes:
>
>> As Holman already brought
>> it up Kekkonen skillfully created crisis situations and played with the
>> "what if" fears of the people, "resloved" the crisis and was seen as
The
>> Guy to handle the Soviets,
> Holman writes:
>> Everybody knew that the USSR was not irrational enough to risk every
>> positive achievement that its post-war foreign policy of peaceful
>> coexistence had brought about by attacking Finland.
> If everyone knew it, it's hard to see how Kekkonen could have created
> crisis situations and played with the "what if" fears of the people.
> There seems a certain inconsistency between the two accounts, both
> offered with great confidence.
Not in my opinion. Fear is often irrational. I have no idea who Holman
refers to with "everybody". I'd say "most people" and especially those
with knowledge in politics. There always will be those "the end of the
world is coming tomorrow" people. I'd say most people belived that there
will not be any immediate attack, but of course you never know what a
prolonged political crisis situation could bring. Weirder things have
happened.
--
Anton
