Decades of autumn.

DISASTERS can hit any nation in various forms and with varying intensities. During these critical times, leadership matters a lot. A nation can survive calamities and regain strength if the leadership takes bold and wise decisions. If the leadership fails to navigate the ship safely in times of crisis, a nation is all but doomed. History is a witness to many stories of both kinds.

The German nation, for instance, was in trouble after World War II when Konrad Adenauer was elected the chancellor to lead a psychologically and physically bruised nation. He set about restoring Germany's position within Europe. But that was not possible without industriali-sation, which could not materialise without regaining the trust of the larger community, and that was not possible without burying the bitter memories of the past.

Within 10 years, Germany was able to secure equality alongside European powers when it got membership of Nato in 1959. Much to the astonishment and envy of the world, Germany emerged as one of the biggest economic powerhouses in Europe at an amazing speed and the Germans were no longer considered aliens...