The path leads on towards the closing chapters of the Cold War, with large photographs of some of the leaders of the time overhead.
A model of a contemporary Canadian ship is here, along with three uniform examples behind it.
An editorial cartoon dating back to the 80s, lampooning the prime minister, Brian Mulroney, for awarding a fighter jet maintenance contract to a Quebec company over one in the west.
Politics, politics.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 seemed to be the climax of a momentous year that saw the fall of communism in the former Warsaw Pact countries, a prelude to the end of communism in the Soviet Union. A section of the Berlin Wall resides here, a gift to the federal government, which had hosted a summit of foreign ministers at the time to sort out the transition to a united Germany.
The thawing of the Cold War saw new possibilities. And new dangers.
The Gulf War erupted with the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq; a novelist described it accurately as grand theft writ large. American president George H.W. Bush had spent his career in international relations and carefully built up an international coalition of forces, culminating in Desert Storm. Canadian forces were part of that coalition- primarily air force and navy.
Canadian Ted Zuber had fought in the Korean War as a young soldier, later painting his memories. He went back to the Persian Gulf as a commissioned war artist during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and painted more, including this one.
Desert Storm would end in victory, executed skillfully, freeing Kuwait and driving out the Iraqi military. In hindsight it might have been better to take out Saddam Hussein, but hindsight is 20/20.
I'll be taking a break from this series and finishing it up in the new year.
A beautiful header!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteThat ship display would be worth investigating
ReplyDeleteOne of a good number of model ships in the museum.
DeleteThe fall of the Berlin Wall seemed truly impossible...
ReplyDeleteAnd yet it happened.
DeleteI visited the Berlin Wall in 1978. That was an impressive and sometimes terrifying week.
ReplyDeleteIt could have gone so differently.
DeleteWe are having another cold war now too
ReplyDeleteThat's how it feels.
DeleteI am not sure if we will ever see peace around the world, a war is always happening somewhere. Take care, have a great day!
ReplyDeleteIt seems that way.
DeleteAh, Brian Mulroney, the brown envelope fellow, I remember him well - not fondly, but well!
ReplyDeleteDespite his many flaws, though, I can still respect something about him- his stance against apartheid in South Africa.
DeleteAmazing display, all interesting especially what appears to be artwork on the tall slates. Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteGraffiti- on the West Berlin side.
DeleteOur friends lived in as children during WW2 and later in a divided Berlin. That city has a incredible history.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt.
DeleteAmazing seeing the uniforms. It would have been clever to save them.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
Delete...the end of the Cold War seemed so hopeful for a while.
ReplyDeleteIt did.
DeleteOne fears that they will have to keep putting additions onto the museum.
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteIt appears that it is impossible for humanity to live in peace.
ReplyDeleteSo it seems.
DeleteEnjoy your break.
ReplyDeleteOh I'm not going anywhere. Just putting this series on pause. I have stuff for the remainder of the year.
DeleteAproveito para desejar a si e sua família um Santo Natal.
ReplyDeleteAndarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
Livros-Autografados
Thank you.
DeleteHave a wonderful break, William.
ReplyDeleteStill staying on. I just realized there was no way to wrap up the series and do other stuff. This seemed a logical place for a pause.
DeleteWhen I was in Berlin I was a bit disappointed there is not much left of the km long wall. But they put lines on the street to show where the wall was.
ReplyDeleteVery different.
DeleteGood place to pause ~ such a strange time in history ~ but then all of them are strange ~ human relations a mystery ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter, and a Happy Holiday season
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
This felt appropriate.
DeleteLa caída del muro, fue muy celebrada. Ese muro separaban a gran parte de las familias, en razón de su residencia.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteYes, a fitting title. The feeling of storm clouds passing doesn't last long as the Ukraine darkens under the horror of war.
ReplyDeleteThat's true.
DeleteI was/am a huge fan of Margaret Thatcher, we need more like her running countries, just my opinion!
ReplyDeleteShe was one to be reckoned with.
DeleteI remember I was on a great holiday when Hussein fell. We all celebrated. Sad when people celebrate your death, no.
ReplyDeleteI can think of an orange wannabe dictator whose death I'll celebrate.
DeleteAnother very informative post.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteThe concept of war artist is both needed and shocking.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
Delete