Posted on 03/10/2014 11:00:04 AM PDT by armydawg505
A few days ago, America experienced the 72nd anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. At the end of September, the world observed the 75th anniversary of the Munich Agreement, whereby Britain and France surrendered Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland to Hitler's Germany. Nazi Germany annexed most of the rest of Czechoslovakia within months, and invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, thus beginning the Second World War.
What do Pearl Harbor, the Munich Pact, and Germany's invasion of Poland have in common? The common thread running through these events is that western democracies' military weakness tempted aggressors to strike.
Add to this the fecklessness of western leaders, who did nothing when Hitler remilitarized the Rhineland, Germany annexed Austria, and Japan invaded China and murdered thousands of civilians, and one sees how toxic the witches' brew was.
If that's true, then why are we doing it again?
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
GWB was the best deterrent we had. The fact that he talked and acted like he’d take on any bully no matter the cost kept the bully’s acting nice. Then we got the subtle, nuanced beta metrosexual. We’re luck we haven’t been nuked.
We'll be really lucky if they put the first one on Washington, DC.
As Major Kong said, “Well, boys, I reckon this is it — nuclear combat toe to toe with the Roosskies.”
I once read that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor not to antagonize the US into action but because they thought they could get away with it.
It’s been said the only person afraid of American military power is Barack 0bama.
“We’re luck (sic) we haven’t been nuked.
We’ll be really lucky if they put the first one on Washington, DC.”
Typo. You caught me. Actually, you may not be far off. To undo the Gordian knot that is our government would take a sword to cut through the entire thing. But I’m not confident that what we’d end up with would be any better. Most likely we’d have a dictatorship worse than the one that seems to be so obviously evolving now. I admit to fearing the Carter wouldn’t leave. Bill Clinton actually sent a letter to the Supremes outlining why he should be allowed another term. (They wrote back, ‘Hell no.”) I think if any of them truly will try to hang on, it’s Obama. Once he’s out of office he won’t be able to control his past. When we find out what he has hidden, it may undo everything he (ahem) “accomplished.” Embezzlers never retire. They can’t as they must stay to cover up their theft. He has the same problem.
“I once read that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor not to antagonize the US into action but because they thought they could get away with it.”
I doubt that serious professional military leaders in Japan thought that way. One of their admirals was reported as saying “I fear we have awakened a sleeping tiger,” although I am not certain of the accuracy of this. But there was a clique of politically inclined dreamers of Glorious Nipponese Ascendancy within the military class.
Nah, if they (the enemy) bomb DC, there’s a good chance Obama would be on vacation. I think the whole gang leaves for Asia soon.
Life is a party doncha know.
“Life is a party doncha know.”
The interesting thing is that The Evil Bush stopped playing golf because it was bad optics while we were at war. When he went on vacation, to his own home, the press screamed about it. But Obama can go on a money raising tour while our ambassador dies, he can golf four times a week while American’s struggle, he can spend a hundred million on vacation and the press rolls on their back wiggling until they pee.
When the US cut off oil to Japan, the Japanese figured the only other place to get oil was the Dutch East Indies. So the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor to keep the US fleet from being able to stop their invasion of the Dutch East Indies. Then, once the Japanese got the oil supply, they figured on being able to maintain a defensive perimeter in East/Southeast Asia.
They got the Dutch East Indies, but of course the rest of the plan didn't work out.
The Romans had a saying that’s appropriate at all times, particularly when a country is being governed by a weak, can’t we all get along leftist. The saying was ‘ Si vis pacem, parabellum ‘, which means, ‘ If you would have peace, prepare for war ‘. It works every time. That’s how Ronaldus Maximus defeated the Evil Empire. It’s similar to ‘Peace through Strength’. Modern 9 millimeter pistols that are called parabellums get their name from this ancient Roman saying.
You know, sometimes I really don’t care. I want to live long enough to see the smug smiles wiped off leftist european faces when they have to balance a REAL budget, which would include spending for THEIR OWN DEFENSE.
I believe it was none other than Admiral Yamamoto himself who said that or something similar. And you are correct, the military leaders did NOT want to antagonize the US.
Only problem with this theory is that the Roman Republic was more or less continuously at war throughout the 700 years of its existence, leading one to logically question the credibility of Roman advice on how to live a peaceful life. :)
Didn't save Georgia from being invaded by Russia and losing territory to them.
Maybe Europe and Asia will learn to build up their own deterrence?
More to the point, Yamamoto thought he could cripple the US fleet in the Pacific that the US would wue for peace and the Pacific would essentially belong to the Japanese.
“Didn’t save Georgia from being invaded by Russia and losing territory to them.”
If the bully is beating his wife there isn’t much you can do about it. But when it came to the rest of the neighbors China and Russia were much more restrained.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.