DISINFORMATION: NATO was created by German Nazi officers and America is a criminal

NARRATIVES: 1. The US is an aggressive nation that provokes wars of aggression. 2. NATO is a belligerent military bloc, whose founders included Nazi officers and which instigates wars.

LOCAL CONTEXT:  Anti-NATO, anti-USA and anti-West narratives in general are broadcast in large numbers in the Republic of Moldova by media outlets, politicians, groups and channels on social media affiliated with Moscow, against the background of a Moldovan society divided by linguistic, ethnic and geopolitical options.

In the present case, fragments of history are highlighted, presented unilaterally and subjectively, or generalized to present the West as an instigator of wars, omitting the fact that the former USSR, as well as Russia, fought wars of aggression, such as the one in Afghanistan, or those in Chechnya, the latter resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, including among the civilian population. In fact, in a 2003 UN report, Grozny was declared “the most destroyed city on Earth”  Since the start of its military intervention in 2022, Russia has destroyed dozens of Ukrainian cities and  in the first two years of war caused the death of more than 10 thousand civilians  (including more than 560 children) , and about 20 thousand others were wounded.

PURPOSE: To demonize the West, presenting it as a danger to the Republic of Moldova and, indirectly, to present Russia as a savior of the country's integrity and independence.

WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: Trafficking and trading in slaves was a common practice since ancient times, embraced by virtually all civilizations. African slave trade was also carried out by the Arab countries in the Middle Ages, then it was taken over by the great European maritime powers of that period. The USA abolished slavery in 1865, around the same time as other European states, but also Russia, where serfdom was abolished in 1861, a decision that did not improve the situation of the peasants.

It is true that the Amerindian population of both American continents was decimated after they were discovered in the late 15th century. It was destroyed in battles, but mostly by diseases, according to several studies. In the 19th century there was, indeed, more fighting on the present territory of the USA between the natives and the "Americans" - mostly Europeans who had come there to get rich. Such situations happened not only in the USA, but also in Latin America, Australia and the eastern region of Russia, conquered by wars, and subsequently many ethnic groups disappeared or shrunk considerably.

The military interventions of the US and NATO member states in Serbia (former Yugoslavia), Iraq, Libya were aimed at stopping either genocide or wars of aggression.  NATO’s military intervention in Libya  in 2011 was launched in response to the UN's request to protect the Libyan people. Likewise, NATO intervened in Serbia in 1999, after the  Račak massacre.

The claim that Second World War Nazi officers were among the founders of NATO is also false. The channel gagauznews presents a list of eight German officers of the First and Second World Wars in this regard. They, however, held various positions in NATO starting 1957, and the Alliance was created in 1949. The Federal Republic of Germany joined NATO in 1955.

GRAIN OF TRUTH: German officers in WWII did hold important positions in NATO, but did not form the basis of the creation of the Alliance.

NATO has had military interventions in various states to stop wars of aggression or genocide.