An "If" of History by Chinua Achebe

Just think, had Hitler won his war the mess our history books would be today. The Americans flushed by verdict of victory hanged a Japanese commander for war crimes. A generation later an itching finger pokes their ribs: We've got to hang

our Westmoreland

for bloodier crimes

in Việt Nam!

But everyone by now must

know that hanging takes much more than a victim no matter his load of manifest guilt. For even in lynching a judge of sorts is needed- a winner. Just think if Hitler had gambled and won what chaos the world would have known. His implacable foe across the Channel would surely have died for war crimes. And as for H. Truman, the Hiroshima villain, well! Had Hitler won his war

de Gaulle would have needed no further trial for was he not condemned already by Paris to die for his treason to France?... Had Hitler won, Vidkun Quisling would have kept his job as Prime Minister of Norway simply by Hitler winning.