Is Tomorrow Hitler's? 200 Questions on the Battle of MankindKnickerbocker, H. R. (Hubert Renfro)
History
Is Tomorrow Hitler's? 200 Questions on the Battle of Mankind
Knickerbocker, H. R. (Hubert Renfro)
Europe -- Politics and government -- 1918-1945; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945 -- United States
Failing to enter the war, we have to face the alternatives; First: Fall
of Britain followed by Axis economic, political, and military attack
on the Western Hemisphere and probable American defeat by Nazis within
as well as without. Second: A negotiated peace between Britain and
Germany; followed by Nazi attack on the Western Hemisphere as before.
Third: Defeat of Germany by Britain at sea and in the air, and by
Russia on land; followed by Russian Communism throughout Europe. Does
Dr. Hutchins believe this a desirable end, or that the United States
would remain immune from its effects? Fourth: An interminable deadlock
in Europe with the entire world from year to year slipping backward
politically, economically, and morally with no prospect of anything
except more ruined cities, more starving people, more dead from battle
and bombardment, famine and pestilence. Is it helping suffering
humanity to remain aloof and permit any of these alternatives to come
to pass?
Q. _Why do you think we ought to go to war with Germany today?_
A. Because until Nazi Germany is defeated the world will never be safe
for us to live in; because it will require the total war effort of the
United States and Britain and Russia to defeat Germany; and because our
formal declaration of war would be worth more in the struggle against
Germany than all the material aid we shall be able to send the Allies
for the next year or more.
Q. _But wouldn’t it be better to wait and let Hitler declare war on us?_
A. It would best serve our interests if Hitler would declare war,
but since he knows this is true, he is not likely to do so under any
provocation. I should think he would hesitate to declare war even if
we were to have a pitched naval battle and sink his ships and announce
it. He knows that even if our Navy is fighting his, there is still a
body of American public opinion which is opposed to the participation
of our Army in an A.E.F. He knows that if he declared war it would help
immensely to unify the American people. He might go into a fury and
declare war, but it would be unlike him. Behind all his tantrums there
is usually calculation.
Q. _But isn’t our present state of “undeclared war” just as effective
as being formally at war? Why would our declaration of war be worth so
much immediately?_
A. Because of its moral effect upon ourselves, our enemies, and our
friends. We can talk all we like about being in a state of undeclared
war, but until we are formally at war we will continue to behave
as though we were at peace. Only by going to war can we discipline
ourselves, our workingmen, and our employers to defeat the Axis in
the battle of production. At this moment when Britain and Germany are
devoting four hours of each working day to making arms, we are devoting
thirty minutes to making arms. Only by going to war can our citizens’
army get the morale to be a fighting force.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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