lou salome writing to rilke 20/03/1904 on the occasion of the Russo-Japanese war

Dear Rainer,  What a comfort it is to hear you speak of our war in this way... no one understands that Russia, however involuntarily, stands in for Europe against Asia in this conflict - always forced into this middle position where it must endure the collision of East and West on behalf of all, as it did earlier in the time of the Mongols.... but what is truly tragic seems to me that its own deepest destiny... is almost exactly the opposite, namely, to fight through towards a synthesis, towards a spiritually fruitful union between Eastern and Western culture, instead of prolonging that fierce uncomprehending split which, for the rest of Europe, will probably last forever...