[Moneyguy1]

Jim; That is not a bad analysis. My Mom and Dad told me about things just before Pearl Harbor, with people shrugging when the German American groups would get together for their "meetings" (read rallies). Nothing was done. At the time, our leadership at least knew there was danger from both sides and knew that if England fell, it would make a dandy aircraft carrier for eventual invasion of the "New World". Witness the attempts by the Nazis to overtake Mexico and other central/south American countries. Yet, the attitude here was formed by the carnage of WWI and the depression. People just wanted to be left alone.

Yet there were those, like my father, in the Merchan Marine, who sailed those cargo ships across the Atlantic, "getting directly involved."

Until there was a direct attack which threatened their hoped for tranquility, this desire to be left alone that was prevelant would not change. And, Jim, to bolster your thinking, Germany then declared war on the US, not the other way around. Heck, they had already sunk hundreds of tons of goods travelling to England in American ships. And, the French were taken by surprise, although I personally think their leadership and their intelligence was fatally flawed. In an era of fighter aircraft, bombers and 30 ton tanks, a long concrete bunker is a poor defense. Ask Herr Hitler who made the same mistake four years later with the Atlantic Wall. I will defend the French, but only a little. They were at war with one country after another for centuries. I imagine they were tired of it, and simply hoped the problems would "go away". After all, the "War to end all Wars" was only 22 years in the past. When they finally woke up, it was too late, and the "Allies" had to come to the rescue, more out of self preservation than any altruistic reason. Denis, there is a saying: "History is fiction agreed upon by the victors". True, WWII was a horrible and hopefully unique page of history, brought about by the ability of a few men to take power based upon public humiliation and dispair. I could give you chapter and verse on the causes, and even show where we are still living in 2004 with the aftermath of that conflict. As one example, Israel and Palestine. Direct connection. As for Japan, there are those Japanese who STILL do not see where their country did anything wrong, and many revere the now dead leaders of that conflict.

The world was then and still is a very complex organism, not possible to dissect and get to the absolute pure truth.

Just the thoughts of a guy who has been around too long.....And seen too much......Ever pilot a landing craft? Shot at going either way......