Ping
What do you think, is it the 1930s all over again?
Depends on how you define "German-speaking" and "nation."
The Holy Roman Empire of the middle ages was at various times considerably larger than the 3rd Reich in 1938. But it wasn't really a nation and wasn't all German speaking.
The German Empire of 1914 couldn't have been much smaller in area than Germany in 1938. But I haven't been able to find exact numbers.
I find it dangerous to look for direct parallels with history so I’m circumspect in his analysis of the hegemony building of the 1920’s and 1930’s and relating it to what’s going on now. However, there’s no doubt that history has taught us that if the traditional powers for good (Western European liberal democracies and America) receed from the world’s stage, other bad actors will surely take up the mantle and acquire power for themselves. Usually, their thirst will not be slaked with the gains they have and they will continue for more.
“President Obama assumes Americans are tired of the Middle East and want to be left alone.”
Sometimes when I read VDH I wonder if he’s really this naive. The regime’s foreign policy is designed to produce these results. It’s all a part of the Jihad against the West and Christianity.
For example, the Lansing-Ishii Treaty circa 1917 and its "territorial propinquity" giving Japan special privileges in Manchuria and the Shantung Peninsula.
As much as I hesitate to appear to dispute the professor, he leaves out a significant point that I’d like to see him discuss.
To stand up to aggressors requires being willing to use military action preemptively, that is, before the putative bad guy actually uses military force himself.
But the lessons of what happened to George W. Bush when he took preemptive action are clear. Until indisputably clear military action has been taken against the US, no one will be happy with preemptive action.
Roosevelt knew this and maneuvered Japan into attacking by cutting off their oil supplies.GWB just had to learn the hard way what FDR already knew.
A democracy has to be attacked and in clear, dire peril before it can go to war. At least that is what I’d like to see the professor address.
Nothing to worry about. You see the picture at the top? China has no diversity at all, they must be terribly weak.