Soviet Union behind assassination attempt on John Paul II
So it looks like the Soviet Union didn't much care for the great papal anti-Communist. From the BBC: "An Italian parliamentary commission has concluded that the former Soviet Union was behind the 1981 assassination attempt on the late Pope John Paul II. The head of the commission, Paolo Guzzanti, said it was sure beyond 'reasonable doubt' that Soviet leaders ordered the shooting."
Why would the Soviets do such a thing? "The commission said the Soviet Union felt the Pope was a danger because of his support for the democracy-linked Solidarity labour movement in Poland, his native country."
At least John Paul was around to see the ultimate demise of the Soviet Union and the obliteration of Communism as a political force in Eastern Europe, not to mention pretty much everywhere else except for Cuba and few other rogue states well behind history's curve.
On this, the great geopolitical struggle of the second half of the twentieth century, Pope John Paul II wasn't just on the right side of history, he was one of the towering figures who made sure that the right side won. That the Soviets went so far as to attempt to assassinate him only speaks to what kind of a man he truly was.
Why would the Soviets do such a thing? "The commission said the Soviet Union felt the Pope was a danger because of his support for the democracy-linked Solidarity labour movement in Poland, his native country."
At least John Paul was around to see the ultimate demise of the Soviet Union and the obliteration of Communism as a political force in Eastern Europe, not to mention pretty much everywhere else except for Cuba and few other rogue states well behind history's curve.
On this, the great geopolitical struggle of the second half of the twentieth century, Pope John Paul II wasn't just on the right side of history, he was one of the towering figures who made sure that the right side won. That the Soviets went so far as to attempt to assassinate him only speaks to what kind of a man he truly was.
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
12:39 AM
1 Comments:
Very good question, Jobe. I'm going to try to follow up on this story. Perhaps the commission relied on newly declassified Soviet documents.
A fair point, Anders. Clearly, the Soviet Union attempted to assassinate many people -- and often succeeded. But the fact that it went so far as to try to kill the pope suggests just how much of a threat he was to their rule over Eastern Europe.
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Michael J.W. Stickings, at 6:48 PM
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