Renaissance to the Second Advent - Day 8

My name is William Haines, a central blessed family. So good evening everyone. Something which comes up and Helen asked again yesterday is, you know, why Korea? To be honest, the foundation to receive the Messiah in Korea was very thin. It was even thinner than the foundation to receive the Messiah two thousand years ago for Jesus. Two thousand years ago, when Jesus came, there was a very strong spiritual community and there was religious freedom. The only problem really was the Roman occupation. If it hadn't been for the Roman occupation, then I have no doubt whatsoever that Jesus would have been successful in everything he wanted to do.

To understand why there was a Roman occupation, one has to go back and see that things went wrong in Jewish history. Instead of having a very strong foundation to receive the Messiah, which would have been the case had the time of the united kingdom worked out differently, the kingdom split. As a result, the foundation to see the Messiah in Jesus' time was very weak, relatively speaking, because the Jewish people couldn't have an independent national foundation to receive the Messiah. They were part of the Roman Empire, which was incredibly oppressive. Jesus was basically put to death as someone who was trying to liberate Israel from the Roman Empire.

The foundation to receive True Parents in Korea was much thinner. There were no Jews there and very few Christians. This wasn't a Christian country; Christianity only really began to grow in Korea just a few years before Father himself was born. Yes, there were Christians who responded and wanted freedom and democracy. The whole impetus to try to bring about independence for Korea came from Christian Koreans. Where did these Christian Koreans get these ideas? Obviously, they picked them up from Protestant Christianity from the missionaries that came from Britain and America. However, the number of Christians in Korea at that time was in the tens of thousands, a very small number that started to grow from the time of the Korean Pentecost, which I talked about yesterday.

The foundation was very thin, but there still was one. Why Korea? It's very hard to explain, but one way of looking at it is through the last 400 years, which the Principle describes as starting in Germany with Martin Luther, who tried to reform Christian Europe. Instead of a reformation, Christian Europe was split, leading to the rise of Protestantism. Protestantism traveled west from Germany to Britain with Henry VIII and his descendants, transforming Britain in many ways and leading to the growth and development of the British Empire in America and other places. Along with that came liberal democracy established in America and throughout the British Empire, which inherited the Judeo-Christian liberal democratic tradition.

In places like Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America, India, and many countries in Africa, democracies emerged. Finally, this movement west reached Japan, and I talked about that major restoration. Several centuries later, Karl Marx was born in Germany. We know he was the founder of communism, although he himself said he was not a Marxist. His ideas were taken up by various Marxist and socialist parties, leading to the formation of communism, Marxism-Leninism, and the Russian Revolution in 1917. Communism then spread east.

I looked at the anthropological reasons that made communist ideas attractive to people living in that particular kind of family structure. It's not that all countries with that family structure automatically went communist, but all the ones that did had that family structure. It's a question of whether that family structure remains basic. God sends or not. Travel east from Russia, then China went communist in 1949. Also coming out of Germany came fascism, which I explained how Germany and several other countries were very much attracted to fascism and Nazism. In terms of politics, you had totalitarianism, and in terms of economics, you had state ownership of all means of production and a planned economy to control the economy. This movement east finally reached Korea.

In the 20th century, Germany was split between east and west. East Germany was more Protestant, and it was Protestants who supported the Nazi Party more than Catholics. In Korea, you see that Korea is also split north and south. Communism arrived in Korea after the Second World War, while free market liberal democracy arrived here after the defeat of Japan. It's interesting because, as it says in the Divine Principle, it's like the place where God's side and Satan's side meet. Although people talk about North Korea being communist, actually, North Korea is more Nazi, hierarchical, and authoritarian than it is communist. That's where Father was born.

Carrying on a little from yesterday, what happened to the Jews of Europe? This is the Jewish population distribution in 1933 in Europe. You can see the number of Jews from Poland, the largest population at 3 million, followed by the Soviet Union with two and a half million. This was largely because when Russia occupied Poland, many Jews moved into Russia. About half a million were in Germany, about three hundred thousand in Britain, and two hundred thousand in France. Proportionally, there were more Jews living in Germany than in most other European countries. When Hitler came to power, a few Jews felt this was serious and needed to leave. For about seven years, there was quite a bit of Jewish immigration; many Jews left Germany for other European countries, the United States, South America, and even China. Some went to Palestine, but it was very difficult for them to emigrate because very few countries wanted them.

There was one ship in 1939, called the St. Louis, which was chartered by a cruise liner filled with Jewish people who wanted to emigrate. They were allowed to leave Germany by the Nazis and traveled all the way to Cuba, but they weren't allowed to disembark there. They tried to get permission to disembark in America, but wherever they went, they were refused permission and had to return to Europe, where most of them were arrested and perished in concentration camps. This is Hitler's proud proclamation: it's all very well to accuse us of not liking Jews, but who else wants them? It's a very shameful episode in the 1930s.

As you know, there was a final solution. This is some images, probably you've seen them before, of what went on. This is the entrance to Auschwitz, showing Jews being murdered. The Holocaust was, as Father said in 1975, a Cain-inspired action, one of Hitler's satanic designs and plans, which should have been prevented by a unified front of all Christian and Jewish forces. It wasn't God's will that this should happen; it was a satanic thing. Satan wanted to destroy the Jewish people and tried to use Hitler to do that. I think it could have been prevented had institutionalized Christian churches mobilized to protect Jews.

How many perished in the Holocaust? The final number is around six million. Nobody really knows exactly whether it's more or less; it's neither here nor there. These are the percentages of people who were murdered. People wonder what was going on. I've read a lot of testimonies and met quite a few Jews who survived the Holocaust. They managed to survive and shared their experiences. I have also read many books and testimonies because I'm very interested in understanding what was going on in their hearts and minds. This is something found in a child's letter, not the only copy, from Raven's book: 'Oh Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will but also those of evil will. But do not remember all the suffering they've inflicted upon us. Remember the fruits we bore thanks to this suffering: our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this. When they come to the judgment, let all the fruits that we bore be their forgiveness.' It's astonishing when you read about the attitude of many Jewish people when they went into the gas chambers; quite often they went in singing, praising God, and praying, knowing where they were going and what their fate was going to be, trying to be like a perfect offering.

After the war in 1950, you can see how much these Jewish populations shrunk in some countries, almost to nothing compared to what it was before, whereas in Romania, there were still many Jews living there. The Tehran Conference in 1943 occurred after the Soviet Union was forced to enter the war. Stalin didn't want to enter the war; he made a pact with Hitler and was very shocked when Hitler invaded. The Soviet Union had to start mobilizing, and this new front was opened. The Soviet Union became an ally of Britain and America, leading to a meeting in Tehran between Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill to plan the war against Nazi Germany. At this time, Roosevelt was very weak; he died about a year and a half later and was in poor health. America was disunited, and when Roosevelt and Churchill met in Cairo on the way to Tehran, Roosevelt wanted to deal with Stalin by himself.

Roosevelt believed that America was not a friend of Britain and was very anti-imperialism. He didn't like the British Empire. The reality was that America didn't want to enter the war either, just because of the attack on Pearl Harbor. There wasn't any unity between Roosevelt and Churchill, which meant Stalin, who was incredibly confident about how well the war was going for the Soviet Union, was able to divide them. As a result, the Soviet Union was given Eastern Europe, which was what Stalin wanted. He wanted to take control over Eastern Europe, just like the agreement he made with Hitler that the Soviet Union would have dominion over Eastern Europe. There was an American diplomat who warned Roosevelt that he was incredibly naive and didn't understand what Stalin was really like. In response, Roosevelt said he had a hunch that Stalin was not that kind of man. He thought if he gave him everything he possibly could and asked for nothing in return, Stalin wouldn't try to annex anything and would work with him for a world of democracy and peace. You can see how extraordinarily naive Roosevelt was, just like Woodrow Wilson, another socialist and idealist. Roosevelt was also incredibly idealistic; he thought if he just gave unconditionally, then...

Stalin's heart is going to be moved; that's naivety. There's no political realism. Unfortunately, in our own spiritual community, we find many people who are incredibly naive about the reality of the world as it is. You can give someone like Stalin everything you can, and he will take it and want more. There are many people out there in the world just like that, and the Bible is very aware of this. There is a lot of political guidance in the Bible on how to deal with people like this, and it is not how Roosevelt dealt with Stalin.

A couple of years later, there was another conference at Yalta, which is in the Crimea, involving Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin. By this time, they realised they were going to win the war; it was just a matter of time. They had a meeting to discuss how they would reorganise Europe after the war. The political reality was that the Red Army was only 40 miles from Berlin. Nowadays, we call it 'facts on the ground'. The Red Army was moving through Poland and Eastern Europe, defeating Germany and driving the Axis powers back. From the perspective of Roosevelt and Churchill, how do you deal with Stalin and the Soviet Union when that is the political reality?

They tried to come up with some deal with Stalin, and as a result, he promised that there would be three democratic elections in Eastern Europe. I would say Roosevelt and Churchill very naively thought that Stalin would honour the commitments he made. Stalin also said there would be Polish self-government, which would be respected by the Soviet Union. This was very important for Churchill because Britain went to war with Nazi Germany to honour an obligation to protect and defend Poland. For Britain, it was crucial that Poland should be independent and have self-government.

After the conference at Yalta, Churchill said, 'Stalin, I'm sure, means well to the world and to Poland. Stalin has offered the Polish people a free and more broadly based government to bring about an election. My hopes lie in a single man; he will not embark on bad adventures.' Again, you might say Churchill was incredibly naive. He had far less excuse to be naive than Roosevelt because he understood very well what was going on in the Soviet Union. This is why Britain refused to make an alliance agreement with the Soviet Union against Hitler in the first place.

Sometimes people ask why America and Britain allowed the Soviet Union to occupy Eastern Europe. The other side of the question is, how could they have prevented it? The Red Army had already occupied Eastern Europe and half of Germany. If Churchill and Roosevelt had said, 'No, the Red Army has to go back to the Soviet Union; you have to allow all these countries in Eastern Europe to be independent,' what would Stalin have said? 'No, or make me.' Would America and Britain have been able to force the Soviet Union and Stalin to retreat? No. America and Britain are democracies; you do not win elections by promising to go to war with a country that was your ally until that time, without whom it would have been impossible to defeat Nazi Germany.

Politically, it was impossible for America and Britain to suddenly change and declare war on the Soviet Union if Stalin refused to retreat. There would have been no electoral support for that. If Churchill had said, 'Okay, now we're going to have an election in 1944, and now we're going to go to war with the Soviet Union,' he would have lost. So, from Churchill's point of view, he understood Stalin and realised that communism wanted to expand and occupy the whole of Europe. He thought, 'Let's see if we can try to keep American military forces in Europe so we can at least defend half of Europe against the Soviet Union.'

Churchill's strategic plan was to get Roosevelt, and later Truman, to commit to defending Western Europe and keeping American military forces there. If American military forces had withdrawn from Europe and America had followed its traditional isolationist policy, the Soviet Union would have moved in and taken over the whole of Europe. It was a question of half of Europe or the whole of Europe. Churchill figured it was better to lose half of Europe than the whole of it. This was the price that was paid: the Allies lost 16 million military personnel and 45 million civilians. The numbers of people who died under Nazi occupation are extraordinary and unspeakable.

Finally, there was peace in 1945, and the United Nations was established. What were the results? The victory on God's side over Satan's side. This is the main point. It was only because Satan's sovereignty had been established in Europe through Nazism and fascism that it was necessary to overcome Satan's sovereignty and establish liberal democracy and freedom in Europe. All these millions of people died to destroy Satan's sovereignty and establish God's sovereignty, which is freedom and democracy, and the free market in Europe, at least in Western Europe. This stands as the possibility of restoring the three blessings.

From the end of the Second World War, there was religious freedom in Western Europe, generally speaking, democracy and the rule of law, and the free market. It also involved overcoming the second temptation of Jesus. Many people in Britain, for example, who did not want to go to war with Nazi Germany said, 'Why don't we just come to an accommodation with Hitler? Let him occupy Europe, and then we can continue to have the great British Empire.' There was no reason for Britain to go to war with Germany, and many argued that they were bankrupt after the First World War. Churchill talked about it as Britain's greatest hour, but after the Second World War, Britain was bankrupt and lost its empire, unable to sustain it financially.

This temptation raises the question: do you do the right thing, or do you just preserve and protect yourself? Do you sacrifice yourself for the benefit of others? Another significant outcome was that the Messiah was able to marry, and the condition of indemnity was made for the Messiah to start his mission in Korea and restore God's sovereignty through democracy. After the First World War, promises were given to the Jewish people to establish a homeland in Israel, and after the Second World War, it was established in 1948. Europeans felt guilty about what had happened and supported the establishment of the Jewish state, partly to get the Jews out of Europe and partly due to their guilt for what they had done to them.

The state of Israel was established first after the Treaty of Versailles, then by the League of Nations, and finally by the United Nations. The establishment of Israel was legally recognised by the international community; it was not simply a case of the Jews conquering and occupying the land. On Satan's side, communism was strengthened in Eastern Europe. When this happened, Churchill woke up, went to America, and gave a speech stating that an iron curtain had descended across the continent. Behind that line lay all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe, all subject to a very high and increasing measure of control from Moscow. This marked the beginning of the Cold War, sometimes referred to as the Third World War.

What leads to these kinds of events? I have discussed this before. There is a real reality to the situation; people have free will. Politicians and everyone else have free will to make choices and decisions, taking into account the limitations of their reality. The decisions people make within these limitations are largely determined by their values, purpose, and motivations. This leads to historical events, whether in an individual's life or in the life of a nation. The principle we talk about is internal causes, God's providence, and external factors such as the clash of economic and political interests.

The nature of a conflict depends upon human responsibility. The principle discusses this in terms of the Third World War, but it applies to any war. It was the same for the First and Second World Wars. The Enlightenment developed differently in various European nations, and had churches in these countries responded differently, European history would have taken a very different course. We would not have had fascism, Nazism, or communism. It was not necessary for there to be a First, Second, or Third World War, nor was it necessary for them to unfold as they did. It might have been possible to resolve these situations in a very different way, but people made some really bad decisions.

Whether the Third World War ends in military conflict and the possibility of a nuclear holocaust, or remains just an ideological conflict, depends upon human responsibility. The Cain and Abel struggle is an ideological one. The principle states that this ideological conflict is between the Abel-type view of life and the Cain-type view of life. The Abel-type view of life is based on democracy, particularly liberal democracy, freedom, and a Judeo-Christian worldview. It emphasises dual characteristics, which means conversation, interaction, cooperation, and reconciliation. This is evident in the Marshall Plan after the Second World War, where a lot of money was given by Americans to rebuild Europe and establish reconciliation between nations.

In contrast, the Cain-type view of life is very different; it is communism, a one-party state as opposed to competing parties. Instead of freedom, there is totalitarianism and ideological control over every aspect of society. It is rooted in an atheistic and materialistic worldview, which we call dialectical materialism. The idea is that progress occurs through conflict, and instead of seeking compromise, one tries to annihilate the opposition. This is reflected in today's cancel culture, which seeks to crush opponents and cancel their ideas. Instead of cooperation and reconciliation, there is a belief that there is only one right way, and if you do not accept it, you are cast aside.

The principle states that a new ideology is required to resolve conflict. This new ideology must arise out of the democratic world, rooted in the Abel-type view of life. This new truth is the essence of the Abel-type view of life and the core of democracy. This new truth will conquer the communist ideology and unify the world. It is interesting to consider where this new ideology will come from; it is said to be rooted in the Abel-type view of life, which is the Judeo-Christian liberal democratic tradition. However, one must wonder if it truly comes from Korea, as suggested in the Divine Principle. This raises the question of what this new ideology will be.

Christian liberal democratic democracy is the able-to-view of life. If you want to know some books that expound this kind of view, I recommend 'The Virtue of Nationalism' by Yoram Hazony, and works by Frederick Haines, who was awarded the Founders Award at the Science Conferences. There are also thinkers like Michael Oakeshott, a conservative political philosopher, and Karl Popper, who defended liberal democracy. These intellectuals formed the basis for the ideological struggle against communism during the 1970s and 1980s.

The providential cause of the Third World War, according to the Divine Principle, is the completion stage restoration of the Three Blessings. In this context, we see the antitype of Christ: for the Second World War, it was Hitler; for the First World War, it was the Kaiser; and for the Third World War, it was Stalin. There was a huge personality cult around Stalin, with people worshipping him and writing extraordinary poems in his admiration. It is shocking to read what people wrote about him, as communists all over the world looked up to him in awe.

In terms of the Second Blessing, during the First World War, there was a vision of pan-Germanism, attempting to unite all Germanic-speaking peoples. The Second World War presented a racial struggle, with the Aryan race as the focus for the Nazis. However, the Third World War is not based on race; it is based on class. The proletariat is seen as the only class capable of bringing forth God's truth, which is the embodiment of truth that can save the world. This ideology calls for the elimination of all other classes, replacing the racial struggle of the past with a class struggle, emphasising state ownership of the economy.

The Divine Principle states that communism is an unprincipled, flawed imitation of God's ideal. Many unificationists have claimed that communism is God's ideal, arguing that if God were brought into communism, it would be ideal. I must tell you that this is entirely wrong. Jesus overcame the third temptation and restored God's sovereignty in the world. On God's side, we have South Korea, West Germany, Japan, Great Britain, and the USA; on Satan's side, we have North Korea, East Germany, China, and the USSR.

The origins of the Third World War can be traced back to the French Revolution and the subsequent revolutions in 1948. The attempt to have a communist revolution after the First World War in Germany was influenced by the instability in Russia, which allowed the Bolsheviks to seize power in 1917. They acted like an organised criminal gang, seizing power despite losing an election, believing they knew what was best for the proletariat. This typical intellectual arrogance led to the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War, which ultimately failed, resulting in the establishment of the Third International of international communists.

After the Second World War, there were starkly different visions for post-war Europe. The Western vision was one of democracy and liberal democracy, while Stalin's vision was for one-party communist states across various countries. The West envisioned a free market, whereas the Soviet Union sought state control of the economy. These contrasting ideological visions set the stage for future conflicts.

To understand communism better, I propose using the Three Blessings as a framework for analysis. Firstly, communism represents the abolition of the Third Blessing. The Communist Manifesto, written by Marx and Engels, states that communism is the abolition of private property. If private property is abolished, the state becomes the owner of all land, factories, and houses, leading to a planned economy. Without the ability to own property, individuals cannot become true owners or exercise dominion over creation, which is fundamental to realising the Third Blessing.

Secondly, communism leads to the abolition of the Second Blessing. Alexandra Kollontai, the first female commissar in the Soviet Union, argued that the state would replace the family as the basis of society. This means that individuals become the property of the state, which assumes responsibility for their well-being and education. Parents lose their obligations to their children, and the state decides what values children are taught. This results in a breakdown of the parent-child relationship, with children encouraged to report their parents for any beliefs or teachings that contradict state ideology.

Lastly, communism leads to the abolition of the First Blessing. As Vladimir Lenin stated, atheism is an inseparable part of Marxism. Religious faith is deemed incompatible with communism, leading to the closure of churches and the persecution of believers. In a communist society, attempting to worship God can result in imprisonment or worse. Ordinary people often faced a choice between lying about their beliefs to survive or risking their lives for the truth. This disunity of mind and body creates a society where freedom of speech and religion is suppressed, and the family is not the basis of society.

The state has no private property and no free market, which means people lack the opportunity to live creative lives. This is why we refer to it as Satan's ideology. The conflict began after the end of the Second World War, particularly evident in the Eastern Bloc area from 1938 to 1948. Stalin's Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact granted the Soviet Union dominion over this region, which was what Stalin sought. He was able to extract this agreement from Roosevelt and Churchill, aiming to secure what he wanted from his pact with Hitler. Following the Bolshevik's poor peace treaty with Germany after the First World War, the Soviet Union sought to move its borders westward, resulting in parts of Poland becoming part of Belarus, among other changes. Germany shrank as parts of East Germany were transferred to Poland, leading to the deportation and resettlement of many Polish people.

The establishment of the Eastern Bloc was based on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, with many of these states incorporated into the Soviet Union. The Baltic states and Eastern European countries became satellites dominated by Moscow. In response, the Marshall Plan was initiated by America to rebuild Western European countries, including Germany, to prevent further Soviet expansion. Interestingly, the Marshall Plan offered financial aid to Eastern European countries and the Soviet Union, but the latter rejected it, fearing American influence in its sphere. President Truman then developed the containment and deterrence doctrine, aiming to prevent the Soviet Union from expanding further. This ideological war against Marxism-Leninism was recognised by figures like George Kennan, who advocated for engaging in this conflict of ideas.

As the ideological war progressed, America established Radio Free Europe to broadcast Judeo-Christian liberal democratic ideas to Eastern Europe, alongside other platforms like Radio Liberty and the Voice of America. Conservative think tanks, such as the Heritage Foundation and the Washington Times, also engaged in this ideological struggle, drawing inspiration from thinkers like Friedrich Hayek, Karl Popper, and George Orwell. Following Germany's defeat, it was divided into East and West, with Berlin itself split among the four major powers: the Soviet Union, America, Britain, and France. Berlin became an island in Eastern Europe, leading to the Soviet blockade, which cut off all supplies. The Allies responded with an airlift, delivering food and essentials to the city for about a year until the Soviets realised they could not let Berlin fall.

The establishment of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, occurred during this period, with 12 countries from North America and Western Europe joining forces. Concurrently, China became communist under Mao Zedong, and North Korea also adopted communism, leading to the Korean War after the North invaded the South. Had it not been for American occupation, South Korea would likely have succumbed to communism, as the communist factions in the South were quite powerful. The imposition of liberal democracy and a free market by America prevented South Korea from following the same path as the North. The Warsaw Pact was established in 1955, uniting Eastern European countries and the Soviet Union against the West.

Vietnam, previously part of the French Empire, saw a rise in Marxist ideologies among its educated intellectuals who had studied in Paris. As the French lost control, America intervened to prevent Vietnam from becoming communist. The situation in Southeast Asia was complex, with countries like Burma, Thailand, and Malaysia avoiding communism despite being in the region. The Hungarian uprising in 1956 was brutally suppressed, while the Cuban Revolution saw Castro's regime take power. The Cold War was characterised by proxy conflicts, with the Soviet Union and America avoiding direct confrontation but supporting opposing sides in various nations.

After Stalin's death, Khrushchev denounced Stalinism, leading to a split between China and the Soviet Union. The Berlin Crisis and the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 marked significant events during this period. The following year, the Soviet Union established missile bases in Cuba, creating a real threat of nuclear war. Fortunately, President Kennedy made sound decisions, and an agreement was reached to remove missiles from both Cuba and Turkey. The Berlin Wall became a symbol of the division, with many attempting to escape from East to West, often facing dire consequences.

Communism continued to expand, exemplified by the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia in 1968, where attempts were made to establish socialism with a human face. The Soviet Union invaded to suppress these movements, asserting its right to intervene in socialist states resisting capitalism. The Soviet Union initially recognised Israel as a socialist state but later shifted its stance. During Nixon's presidency, efforts were made to engage with China, leading to a significant shift in international relations. Nixon's visit to China shocked Mao Zedong, deepening the rift between China and the Soviet Union. This strategic move allowed Nixon to initiate discussions with the Soviet Union, leading to treaties aimed at limiting nuclear weapons and fostering peace between the two superpowers.

Despite Nixon's efforts, the Vietnam War ended unfavourably for America, with North Vietnam occupying the South. The Watergate scandal ultimately led to Nixon's resignation, which was a significant blow to the anti-communist movement. Father Moon recognised the implications of Nixon's downfall, as Nixon had a clear understanding of communism and world affairs. He advised Nixon to confess and seek forgiveness, but Nixon chose not to, resulting in his forced resignation. This event intensified the left's animosity towards the movement. Following Nixon, President Carter's naivety regarding the Soviet Union became evident, particularly after the invasion of Afghanistan, which shocked him. This naivety contrasted sharply with Nixon's approach, leading to a resurgence of anti-communist sentiment, exemplified by the rise of Solidarity in Poland and the election of Margaret Thatcher in Britain and Ronald Reagan in America. The Falklands conflict demonstrated Britain's resolve against dictatorship, impressing the Soviet Union and marking a turning point in the Cold War.

The military was incredibly functional and successful, and Margaret Thatcher had the backbone to lead an arms build-up. This was followed by the United States under Reagan, with initiatives like the Strategic Defense Initiative, commonly referred to as 'Star Wars', aimed at developing a protective system in space. The development of the B1 bomber and various missile programs marked a significant military advancement. The Soviet Union attempted to catch up but ultimately failed. Following a communist coup in Grenada, America invaded to overthrow the regime, which was a rather farcical situation. This led to the Reagan Doctrine, which supported the Contras in Nicaragua to prevent the country from becoming communist, as well as support for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan to resist Soviet occupation.

The Reagan Doctrine proclaimed that the era of communism was over, asserting that the West would no longer accept any area of the world as destined to forgo its liberty simply because the Soviets claimed it as part of their sphere of influence. This repudiated the Brazilian Doctrine, as the West committed to a battle of ideas against communism, providing material support to those fighting to liberate their nations from tyranny. The final years of the Cold War began with Mikhail Gorbachev's election in 1985. He attempted to reform communism, recognising that it could not keep pace with the American military's incredible development. His policies of perestroika, or restructuring, aimed to revive the communist economy but ultimately led to its destruction. Gorbachev also introduced glasnost, meaning openness, allowing for the free exchange of ideas.

Gorbachev and Reagan engaged in discussions in Reykjavik, Iceland, where they reached a private agreement. Reagan had labelled the Soviet Union as the 'evil empire', and Gorbachev acknowledged this, expressing a desire to dismantle it. However, dismantling an empire comes with significant risks, including vulnerability to attack. Gorbachev sought reassurance that America would not take advantage of the Soviet Union's weakened state. Reagan clarified that the conflict was not against the Russian people or communism itself but against the ideology of communism. He assured Gorbachev that if the Soviet Union abandoned communism, America would not invade or exploit its weaknesses. This extraordinary dialogue marked a pivotal moment in history, leading to the end of the Cold War.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan, the end of the conflict in Angola, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the revolutions in Eastern Europe in 1989 culminated in the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. During this period, the West did not exploit the situation but allowed the Soviet Union and its satellite states to reorganise and address their own issues. This approach was significant, as it contrasted with historical precedents where victors imposed their will on the vanquished. Reagan and Gorbachev developed a close friendship, and their discussions in Iceland were pivotal in fostering a peaceful resolution to the Cold War. This resolution was rooted in the Judeo-Christian liberal democratic tradition, which played a crucial role in the peaceful end of the conflict.

As we reflect on the growth and expansion of communism, it is essential to acknowledge that today, only a few communist regimes remain, such as the Communist Party of China and North Korea. The human cost of communism has been staggering, as documented in a book published by a Harvard scholar. This research revealed the political costs of communism across various nations, highlighting the number of lives lost. During my university years, I encountered Marxists who believed that if Britain became communist, it would be different. I argued that British people are no better than Russians or Koreans; the potential for tyranny exists in every society. The recent lockdowns in Britain revealed a similar tendency, as some individuals informed on their neighbours for breaking restrictions, reminiscent of the Stasi in East Germany.

One book that profoundly impacted my understanding of human nature is 'The Gulag Archipelago'. It opened my eyes to the depths of human depravity and the importance of vigilance against totalitarian ideologies. In today's world, people can be 'cancelled' for their opinions, losing jobs and facing social ostracism. This is a warning sign of how societies can devolve into oppressive regimes. Orlando Figes, a scholar of Russia, examined KGB archives after the Soviet Union's collapse, revealing the personal struggles of ordinary people under communism. The fear, mistrust, and betrayal they experienced were heartbreaking. It is crucial to recognise that every society is composed of ordinary human beings, and the potential for tyranny exists universally.

The peaceful resolution of the Cold War represents a significant achievement, contrasting with the violent resolutions of the First and Second World Wars. The relationship between Cain and Abel was resolved through force in those conflicts, but the third world war, which we can view as a struggle between good and evil, ended peacefully. The attitudes of leaders like Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan were instrumental in this outcome. The restoration of the third blessing became possible, leading to the implementation of free market policies and the privatisation of state property in Eastern Europe. While the transition was often corrupt, it marked the beginning of a new era.

The expansion of democracy in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union is a gradual process that requires time to take root. Cultural changes, respect for private property, the rule of law, and democratic elections cannot be achieved overnight. While progress has been made, the future direction depends on the willingness of people to engage and take responsibility. We are witnessing troubling developments in Russia and other countries, where freedoms are eroding and political corruption is rising. It is crucial for individuals to stand up against these trends, as the responsibility lies with humanity, not with God. The establishment of a just world requires the commitment of individuals, even at great personal risk.

Our movement has played a significant role in the fight against communism, particularly through the Victory Over Communism movement in Japan, America, and South America. The rallies and support for initiatives like the Strategic Defense Initiative were crucial in raising awareness and mobilising action against communist ideologies. In Germany, our members actively confronted communists who sought to disrupt pro-democracy rallies. The peaceful end of the Cold War in the West contrasts sharply with the ongoing struggles in the East, where the third world war continues. On one side, we have America, Japan, and South Korea; on the other, Russia, China, and North Korea. This ongoing conflict reflects a broader struggle between good and evil, with implications for the future of global stability.

In terms of ideology, we can see that Judaism represents Israel, while the Cain side represents Islamism—not Islam, which is a peaceful and noble religion that I greatly admire. However, we must distinguish between Muslim extremism and Islamism. On the other side, we have Christianity, and then there's communism, which could be described as a Christian heresy since it grew out of the Christian world. Additionally, we have Unificationism and the ideology of North Korea. Father spoke about this in a significant speech at the Washington Monument in 1976, where he analysed the world in these terms. We need to recover this analysis: Judaism is in the position of the elder brother, Christianity as the second brother, and the Unification Church as the youngest brother. Israel represents God's side, while the communist bloc, as Satan's representative, is trying to isolate and destroy the United Nations.

Today, it is crucial to examine North Korea, which I would describe as a one-party communist state. Essentially, it operates under a Nazi-planned economy, and its hereditary dynasty is not truly communist but rather resembles a Nazi regime. There is an incredible emphasis on racial lineage and purity, which is a very Korean trait. The leadership of Kim Il-sung, the eternal president, Kim Jong-il, the dear leader, and Kim Jong-un, the brilliant comrade, forms a personality cult. The teachings promote devotion to Kim Il-sung, urging followers not to believe in God but in the great man. The calendar in North Korea begins in 1912, marking Kim Il-sung's birth. The nature of this conflict hinges on human responsibility, and Father sought to diffuse this reality, searching for a way forward.

Father's efforts included meeting with Kim Il-sung, and there was a possibility for a different outcome after his visit to Moscow. There was genuine optimism and hope for a positive turn in God's providence. However, the reality was that South Korea refused to support True Father in this endeavour, which was a significant failure on the part of Koreans. Father also anticipated the rise of Islamism and Muslim extremism, recognising the potential for religious conflict. He met with the Grand Mufti of Syria, exploring the possibilities for development in that context. Father was always thinking several steps ahead, which was evident in his actions.

I remember being fortunate enough to participate in the Washington Monument rally in 1976. It was the first time I saw Father, and he immediately struck me as an extraordinarily funny person with a remarkable sense of humour, even through translation. He was completely comfortable in his own skin, presenting himself as a genuine human being without pretence. What surprised me most was that he didn't focus on the Washington Monument; instead, he spoke about going to Moscow. Initially, I thought he might be deluded, but I soon realised that for him, the Washington Monument rally had already been a success, and he was already thinking about the next rally in Moscow.

Father's forward-thinking nature was evident as he anticipated the challenges ahead, including the realities of North Korea and the potential for Muslim extremism and religious wars. I believe our movement dropped the ball in not following through on many of these initiatives as effectively as we could have. However, things are picking up now with the global peace conferences and the work True Mother is doing. For a long time, I felt we had not capitalised on these opportunities. Unfortunately, I cannot elaborate further as time has run out, but I welcome any questions or comments in the last few minutes.