Mar 5, 2022 5 min read

”The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride to safety.”

- Volodymyr Zelensky

Last weekend, we took a break from Netflix and watched the 1960 John Wayne version of “The Alamo.” It just happened to be the anniversary of this important historical event (February-March 1836).

The over three-hour-long production tells the well-known story of a small band of Tennessee volunteers joining forces with local Texans to take on a large Mexican Army before being killed in action. The fact that two larger-than-life American heroes, Davy Crockett and James Bowie, fought and died in the conflict have added to the allure. However, we most remember the Alamo for the actions of the brave few to keep the ideal of Texas independence alive in the face of overwhelming odds.

History is replete with similar examples of the underdog taking on a superior adversary to preserve a way of life free from oppression. The Old Testament gives us David vs. Goliath, where David accepts the Philistine challenge of single combat. Taking only his staff, sling and five smooth stones from a brook, David defeats the giant, Goliath. In modern usage, the phrase “David and Goliath” has taken on a universal meaning, denoting an underdog situation, a contest where a smaller, weaker opponent faces a much bigger, stronger adversary.

Jewish history also gives us the battle of Masada in 73 CE. According to the historian Josephus, the siege of this desert rock plateau by Roman troops ended the First Jewish Roman War with the mass suicide of 960 Jewish rebels who refused to surrender. Today, in Israel, many Jewish soldiers who complete their basic training are sworn-in on top of Masada.

In the classical Greek world, the Battle of Thermopylae between Spartan Greeks and invading Persians occurred in 480 BCE. Seven thousand Greeks were able to hold off 200,000 Persians at the narrow mountain path until betrayed by one of their own. The Spartan King, Leonidas, refused to retreat and with 300 of his men died in battle. Today, Thermopylae is celebrated as an example of heroic persistence against seemingly impossible odds.

Many nations and cultures have similar legendary myths and verified historical events to help bolster national cohesion when threatened by superior outside forces. Our own American Revolution pitted 13 small, unruly colonies against the world’s greatest 18th century empire. Few expected the one-sided conflict to end in a colonial victory.

Before the horrified eyes of the world, in real time on 24/7 live media, the nation of Ukraine now has its own unifying event. The unprovoked Russian attack on its homeland will serve as a fundamental building block of Ukrainian nationalism for years to come.

The position of Russian President Vladimir Putin, “that there is no historical Ukrainian nation worthy of present-day sovereignty,” is only the latest insult in a long history of Russian bullying. In fact, Ukraine did not get created in any real sense by the old Soviet Union as claimed by Putin. It was already there, and it already had an extremely long and complex history.

For decades, the Soviet Union treated Ukrainians as second-class citizens, or worse. First, one of the greatest political atrocities in Europe of the 20th century took place in Ukraine when Stalin imposed a famine that caused the death of about 3.9 million people. Second, after Germany overran Ukraine in WWII, Soviet officials treated Ukrainians as Nazi collaborators, and many were persecuted. Third, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred on Ukrainian soil, and the Soviet leadership did not disclose the spread of radioactive material to the Ukrainian people.

Without question, Russians and Ukrainians share many similar values and historical events. Citizens along the common border speak both languages and often hold dual passports. However, since the popular independence referendum in 1991, Ukraine has become a democratic state and sought closer ties with Western Europe, including membership in the EU. Putin now seeks to reverse this trend by placing a pro-Russian regime in power through naked aggression.

As I pen this commentary, Ukraine is holding its own against one of the largest and best-trained militaries in the world. If Russia persists, it is doubtful Ukraine can win a military victory. However, in the end, the Ukrainian people will gain a sense of national identity, a commitment to independence and the support and gratitude of the world beyond measure. Such is the power of an underdog who is willing to fight and to die to preserve its freedom.

The brave Ukrainian underdogs have performed a valuable wakeup call for all of us. When a million mothers and children are forced to leave their homes, and schoolteachers are fighting in the streets to disable tanks, the least we can do toward our fellow Americans is understand that others do not always think as we do. The disagreement does not mean they are bad people.

The world is a complex, dangerous place, and we need each other. We need to develop a set of civic values that apply to every American. We need to encourage and aid the underdogs among us, who seek their own freedom and the right to disagree. We must be prepared to sacrifice a portion our own material lifestyle and financial well-being to make it happen. Otherwise, we are enabling the Putins of this world to take control.

Gary Stout is a Washington attorney.