Vienna, the capital city of Austria, has a rich and complex history that spans over 2,000 years. The city's history is a blend of various cultures, empires, and historical events that have shaped it into the beautiful and vibrant city it is today. Here are some key moments in Vienna's history:

Roman Empire (1st century BC - 5th century AD): The Romans founded the city of Vienna in 15 BC and named it Vindobona. During this period, Vienna was an important center for trade and commerce, and it was also a key military base.
Middle Ages (5th century - 13th century): After the fall of the Roman Empire, Vienna was part of the Germanic kingdoms and later became a significant trading center during the Middle Ages. In the 13th century, Vienna became the residence of the Babenberg dynasty, which ruled the Duchy of Austria.
Habsburg Dynasty (13th century - 1918): In 1278, the Habsburg dynasty took over the rule of Austria, and Vienna became their main residence. This period saw the construction of many grand buildings, including the Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen's Cathedral, and the Belvedere Palace. The Habsburgs also established the University of Vienna, which became a center of learning and culture.
Baroque Period (17th century): During the Baroque period, Vienna experienced a cultural and artistic renaissance, with famous artists such as Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven living and working in the city. The city's architecture, music, and art flourished during this time, and many of its iconic landmarks, such as the Schönbrunn Palace, were built during this period.
Enlightenment and Revolution (18th-19th century): The Enlightenment brought significant changes to Vienna, with the establishment of new scientific and philosophical institutions, such as the Academy of Sciences and the University of Vienna. However, the 19th century also saw political turmoil, with the Revolutions of 1848 and 1866, which aimed to establish democratic reforms and independence from the Habsburg monarchy.
Fin de Siècle (late 19th-early 20th century): The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a cultural and intellectual boom in Vienna, known as the "Fin de Siècle." This period was characterized by the rise of psychoanalysis, with Sigmund Freud being one of its most prominent figures. The city also became a hub for modern art, literature, and music, with artists like Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, and Arnold Schönberg contributing to the city's cultural landscape.
World War I and II (20th century): During World War I, Vienna was the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the city suffered significantly during the war. Following the war, Austria was reduced to a small republic, and Vienna lost its status as a imperial capital. During World War II, Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany, and Vienna was occupied by Soviet troops until 1955.
Post-War Era (mid-20th century): After World War II, Vienna began to rebuild and recover. The city hosted international organizations such as the United Nations and became a center for diplomacy and international relations. The city also continued to thrive culturally, with the establishment of new museums, opera houses, and concert halls.
Modern Vienna (late 20th century-present): Today, Vienna is a bustling metropolis with a diverse economy, rich cultural heritage, and high standard of living. It continues to be a hub for arts, science, and innovation, attracting visitors and residents from around the world.

December 21, 1945 – General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. 3rd Army, dies from injuries suffered not in battle but in a freak car accident. He was 60 years old. Descended from a long line of military men, Patton graduated from the West Point Military Academy in 1909. He represented the United States in the 1912 Olympics-as the first American participant in the pentathlon. He did not win a medal. He went on to serve in the Tank Corps during World War I, an experience that made Patton a dedicated proponent of tank warfare. During World War II, as commander of the U.S. 7th Army, he captured Palermo, Sicily, in 1943 by just such means. Patton’s audacity became evident in 1944, when, during the Battle of the Bulge, he employed an unorthodox strategy that involved a 90-degree pivoting move of his 3rd Army forces, enabling him to speedily relieve the besieged Allied defenders of Bastogne, Belgium. Along the way, Patton’s mouth proved as dangerous to his career as the Germans. When he berated and slapped a hospitalized soldier diagnosed with “shell shock,” but whom Patton accused of “malingering,” the press turned on him, and pressure was applied to cut him down to size. He might have found himself enjoying early retirement had not General Dwight Eisenhower and General George Marshall intervened on his behalf. After several months of inactivity, he was put back to work. And work he did-at the Battle of the Bulge, during which Patton once again succeeded in employing a complex and quick-witted strategy, turning the German thrust into Bastogne into an Allied counterthrust, driving the Germans east across the Rhine. In March 1945, Patton’s army swept through southern Germany into Czechoslovakia-which he was stopped from capturing by the Allies, out of respect for the Soviets’ postwar political plans for Eastern Europe. Patton had many gifts, but diplomacy was not one of them. After the war, while stationed in Germany, he criticized the process of denazification, the removal of former Nazi Party members from positions of political, administrative, and governmental power. His impolitic press statements questioning the policy caused Eisenhower to remove him as U.S. commander in Bavaria. He was transferred to the 15th Army Group, but in December of 1945 he suffered a broken neck in a car accident and died less than two weeks later.

The best diplomacy is to "talk softly, but to carry a big stick", as one of my favorite US Presidents once said.

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov condemned the expulsion of two Russian diplomats from the US in an apparent retaliatory move after Russia expelled two high-ranking US officials in September.

Antonov claimed the State Department was unable to "explain what exactly our comrades are accused of." He added that the expulsion is "banal revenge, which does not bring honor to American diplomacy." Meanwhile, he explained that the US diplomats expelled from Russia "were essentially interfering in internal affairs and trying to harm Russia’s national security."

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RT - China speaks the language of pragmatism, while the US only understands sanctions, militarism and confrontation:

https://www.rt.com/news/574832-china-us-diplomacy-macron/

#ZeroSumDiplomacy #Diplomacy #Hegemony #Pragmatism #Compromise #MilitaryIndustrialComplex #EndlessWar #ForeignEntanglements #InternationalAffairs #Politics

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vs.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (pictured) said on Wednesday that any incident that provokes a clash between the US and Russia always carries "serious risks."

Russian diplomacy head's remarks come after a Su-27 aircraft collided yesterday with a US MQ-9 uncrewed aerial vehicle over the Black Sea.

According to the United States Department of State, the incident was "likely unintentional."

https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Lavrov-warns-of-'serious-risks'-posed-by-US-Russia-incidents/59647666