Most of the "wise cracks" about the U.S. position vis-a-vis the world in the
late '30s demonstrate a remarkable combination of arrogance and ignorance.

For most American opinion makers the experiences of U.S. participation in
WWI were less than satisfactory. The monumental ineptitude of French and
British commanders was memorialized in a series of post-War flicks (such as
"All Quiet on the Western Front"). The writing of men like Hemmingway had
stripped the glory from war. The general attitude was if the foolish
Europeans want to slaughter each other in vast numbers, God bless 'em.

It was clear to the U.S. administration that war in Europe was inevitable
and that U.S. interests would demand U.S. participation. Given the general
population's feelings, any governmental action (particularly during
Depression era times) had to be considered.

Actions there were. In fact, every major U.S. combat aircraft of WWII was
conceived and the prototypes at least on the drawing board by the end of
1940. That year also saw the passage of the first peacetime draft in U.S.
history, the Two Ocean Navy Act, and Lend-Lease. A very late start in the
deveopment of armored vehicles and doctrine was being addressed. The
foundations of the Arsenal of Democracy were being laid.

The Japanese ended American political divisions on "the war question."

Bill Kambic

If, by any act, error, or omission, I have, intentionally or
unintentionally, displayed any breedist, disciplinist, sexist, racist,
culturalist, nationalist, regionalist, localist, ageist, lookist, ableist,
sizeist, speciesist, intellectualist, socioeconomicist, ethnocentrist,
phallocentrist, heteropatriarchalist, or other violation of the rules of
political correctness, known or unknown, I am not sorry and I encourage you
to get over it.

"WaltBJ" wrote in message
om...
IS the Rafale dead? Nobody answered the question.
BTW the US armed forces, with the exception of the Navy, didn't have
anything to fight with in 1941, let alone 1939. Look it up.
Walt BJ