"I was opposed to World War II, and indeed on June 22, 1941 when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union I suddenly found myself the lone supporter of peace since everybody else had, because of their communist beliefs, shifted over to become supporters of the war"

Douglass North's quote offers insight into a complex and tumultuous duration during World War II, reflecting on the shifting allegiances and ideological divides that identified the time. Initially, North states his opposition to World War II, which suggests a commitment to pacifism or perhaps a hesitation of the motives and repercussions surrounding the conflict. His position can be understood as part of a wider anti-war sentiment that existed in various kinds across countries and political groups, despite the prevalent violence and hostility that marked the era.

The particular reference of June 22, 1941, is considerable as it marks the date Operation Barbarossa commenced, with Nazi Germany invading the Soviet Union. This event significantly changed the geopolitical landscape, especially impacting those with communist sympathies. Before this invasion, numerous communists abided by the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a non-aggression treaty between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. This pact placed them, rather annoyingly for some, in a stance against the war, lining up with a broader anti-war or pacifist position regardless of the ideological opposition to fascism.

When Germany breached the pact by getting into the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union, and subsequently its communist allies and sympathizers worldwide, all of a sudden discovered themselves at war with Nazi Germany. This shift caused many who previously opposed the war, particularly due to ideological leanings towards communism, to now support the Soviet war effort as a battle versus fascism.

North's referral to discovering himself the "only fan of peace" highlights the significant and frequently conflicting realignments people experienced. His seclusion highlights the ideological complexity of the time, where political beliefs were regularly challenged by quickly changing global dynamics. It likewise reflects an individual story of steadfastness in his beliefs, despite the overwhelming shift in public and political opinion preferring active participation in the war once ideological lines were redrawn by Nazi Germany's hostility.