The Peace on The Horizon - 75 Years after The World War 2 in the Middle East (44)

 

(Japanese Version)

(Arabic Version)

 

(contents)

 

Chapter 2 Global wave – The end of colonial era and the emerging two super powers (6)

 

044 La Marseillaise & The Internationale (3/3)

No one will not be surprised that both lyrics sound similar. Two lyrics were almost same because they were written almost simultaneously. "La Marseillaise" was written and composed at the French Revolution in 1790s. On the other hand, the lyric of Internationale was originally written as "La Marseillaise" at the Paris Commune in 1871. Melody was composed a few decades later.

 

It could say that both lyrics were twins. The content of the lyrics is too harsh to meet the sense of moderate people. French people sing "La Marseillaise" at the events to show their solidarity. Its lyric is too aggressive to be peaceful. It may be meaningful to ask French people that how they feel themselves when they sing "La Marseillaise".

 

In Syria, French soldiers sang out "La Marseillaise" inside of the garrison. Syrians chorused "Internationale" outside the garrison. To whom the French soldiers sang out the phrase; “To arms citizens / Form your battalions / March, march”? For Syrian people enemy was clear. It was France.

 

Which side was inspired, France or Syria? It was clear that the French soldiers were knocked down and Syrian people were encouraged. It was the USSR who came into Syria after France. The USSR rented the Tartus port on the Mediterranean coast for its military base. The Russian Empire and its successor, The USSR, have been obsessed with the southward policy. They were eager to get an ice-free port instead of the port in icy Baltic Sea where the vessels were unable to navigate during winter season. They have the Sebastopol military port in the Black Sea. But from there to the Mediterranean, they have to go through the Bosporus Straight in Turkey. Tartus military port was a foothold of the USSR in the Mediterranean. Even after the collapse of the USSR, Tartus is still an essential military port for the Russian Republic.

 

(To be continued ----)

 

 

Areha Kazuya

(From an ordinary citizen in the cloud)