BRUSSELS As a former journalist who made his name by attacks on Brussels, but sometimes accused of twisting the facts, Boris Johnson knows there's no easier way to engage readers who drive with Hitler.
However, his attempt to stain the European Union by associating their limited supranational powers, attempts negotiated with the German Nazi leader or French Emperor Napoleon to impose their dominance on the continent by force was politically dangerous.
On the one hand, did not take into account the strategic vision of two of his own conservative heroes, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, both of which saw a more united Europe as the answer to Hitlerism, and a way to guarantee peace and stability after centuries of bloodshed.
Former Mayor of London is not just distorting history - 28 EU democracies freely consented to the sharing part of its sovereignty, including the creation of a voluntary departure clause, Johnson is urging the British to use.
His jibe Hitler may turn against the campaign "Stop" in June 23 referendum on Britain's EU membership and disrupt their ambitions to replace David Cameron as prime minister.
Even the British who distrust the EU and feel, like many Europeans, that their actions are not sufficiently subject to democratic control is unlikely to identify with the Holocaust jackbooting dictators or by other means.
The latest opinion polls suggest wavering conservative supporters are turning to the vote to remain in the EU when the island faces its geopolitical election next month.
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Johnson said the EU was doomed like all attempts to create a "golden age of peace and prosperity" since the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago.
"Napoleon, Hitler, several people tried this, and ends tragically," he said.
"VOID DEMOCRATIC"
"The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods. But fundamentally what is missing is the eternal problem, which is that there is no underlying the idea of Europe loyalty. There is no single authority that no one respects or understands. It is making this democratic vacuum massive ".
Johnson also blames Brussels, instead of President Vladimir Putin, Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the success of Russian-speaking armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
"If you want an example of EU foreign policy on the hoof, and the pretensions of the EU to the implementation of a defense policy that have caused serious problems, then look at what has happened in Ukraine," at a press conference on May 9.
As the author of a biography of Churchill, as well as a book on the Roman Empire, Johnson should know that your favorite man passionately defended State a united Europe after World War II to avoid any return to nationalism and warmongering.
In his famous 1946 speech Zurich, Churchill said that the remedy was "to re-create the European family, or as much of it as possible, and to provide it with a structure under which it can live in peace, security and in freedom. We must build a kind of United States of Europe ".
Although Britain did not plan to join a body due to its empire, Churchill was one of the founders of the Council of Europe established the European Convention on Human Rights and the Court multinational holding it.
However, many of today's conservatives want to withdraw from the Convention - ratified by all European countries except Belarus and Russia included - they see as an unacceptable interference in the sovereignty of the British courts.
"Peace and security"
Even more striking is the contrast between the vision of Johnson lessons of European history and Thatcher.
In a speech launching the "Yes" campaign in 1975 the conservative British referendum on whether to remain in the European Economic Community - the forerunner of the EU - a direct link between European integration and peace was established.
Thatcher expressed gratitude that their children had not been involved in a European conflict as the children of the previous two generations. "The community gives us peace and security in a free society, peace and security denied to the last two generations," she said.
For pragmatic conservative postwar, it was clear that the policy of Britain had pursued since the 16th century - to try to maintain a balance of power on the continent - had been unable to avoid two world wars with disastrous consequences.
The strategic lesson drawn by Churchill and his successors was that Britain should actively participate in building not only the united military alliance NATO, but also Europe, and not be tempted by isolation or appease the expansive powers.
view Johnson of Britain's place in Europe looks more like the series of BBC comedy long-term "Army Dad" which mocked a Guard part-time soldiers elderly preparing valiantly to defend the island against a Nazi invasion that never came.
musical theme of the series began: "Who you think you are kidding, Mr Hitler, if you think we are in the race?"
That question may well be addressed to Boris Johnson.
(Writing by Paul Taylor; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
This story has not been edited by the staff Firstpost and is self-generated power.
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