Politics

Politics — whether local, national or international — never fails to be conducive for dirty tricks departments to work overtime to achieve the ends desired by the perpetrating parties.

- Nirad Mudur

In such situations, while conviction about ends justifying means reigns, ignorance and desperation can turn catastrophic — even putting the world on the brink.

Many such cases have happened at the international level, standing out on two occasions, one leading to World War II, the other bringing us on the verge of World War III, and a nuclear war ending the world! Fortunately, it never came to that.

But such cases happen more often at the local and national political levels, where mischief is at a premium — much sought-after for political elements seeking their respective desired ends.

Let's go back to August 31, 1939. This dirty trick was the brainchild of Heinrich Himmler, the head of Gestapo, the secret police in Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe, and the most powerful Nazi after Adolf Hitler. It was put in action by Reinhard Heydrich, Himmler's chief lieutenant in the SS, and a key player in the Holocaust.