Donald Trump famously or infamously doesn’t want to help our allies unless there’s something in it for him, first, and for his base second. He doesn’t care what is right for our allies and for our democracy.
For just one example of Trump not wanting to give away anything just because it is the right thing to do this is what he said before leaving on Marine One on October 11th:
Q Mr. President, why are you sending more troops to Saudi Arabia when you just said it’s a mistake to be in the Middle East?
THE PRESIDENT: So we’re sending more troops to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a very good ally, from the standpoint that we get along with them very well — a very important player in the Middle East. The relationship has been very good. And they buy hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of merchandise from us, not only military equipment. In military equipment, about $110 billion. It’s millions of jobs.
Now, with that being said, we are sending troops and other things to the Middle East to help Saudi Arabia. But are you ready? Saudi Arabia, at my request, has agreed to pay us for everything we’re doing. That’s a first.
But Saudi Arabia — and other countries, too, now — but Saudi Arabia has agreed to pay us for everything we’re doing to help them. And we appreciate that. White House transcript
In the late 1930’s in the United States, while President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in favor of intervention even if short of sending military assistance when the Axis powers were on a rampage Congress, even though it was controlled by Democrats, was mostly isolationist.
Even Hitler’s invasion of Poland in September 1939, and the declaration of war by Britain and France seemed to have little relevance to the USA. Yet President Franklin D Roosevelt, a Democrat elected for his second term of office in November 1936, had taken a public position of opposition to aggression by Japan, Italy, and Germany. He made a speech in Chicago in October 1937, when he called for the “quarantine” of aggressive and warlike countries, and he also publicly condemned the nature of the Nazi government in Germany.
Congress, however – although both houses were controlled by the Democrats – contained strong voices opposing intervention. This opposition was based on a long-term ‘isolationist’ tradition, whose adherents did not want America – protected as it was by broad oceans – to become ‘entangled’ with foreign countries and wars overseas. Both in Congress and among the American public, this sentiment had been strengthened by the experience of World War I, which isolationists claimed America had only entered in 1917 because US manufacturers wanted to make a profit by selling munitions. Reference: America and WW2: when, how and why did the US get involved, and why they didn’t enter sooner?
Even those who weren’t paying much attention in school history class know from movies that it took the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor to bring the United States into the war. Had the Japanese not attacked us it is easy to speculate whether we would have ever entered the war.
Whether Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto actually uttered the now-famous comment “I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve" soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor is still being debated by historians the meaning is clear. (Reference) It hardly matters if those actual words were uttered since in fact it took Pearl Harbor to prompt the United States to gear up what became the formidable war machine which eventually led to the defeat of the Axis powers.
Let’s consider what would have happened if Donald Trump had been the president instead of FDR and had the kind of control over Congress he does today.
Remember that Hawaii was a territory in 1941. While it hosted a major naval and air base It wasn’t a wasn’t a huge tourist destination like it is today.
Trump isn’t very smart. He isn’t even a particularly good real estate developer. Hawaii was 2,336 mi from San Francisco. “It wasn’t until 1936 that Pan Am began carrying passengers from San Francisco to Hawaii on its luxurious Martin M-130 Clippers and soon after a Boeing aircraft.” These planes traveled between 145-180 mph, so do the math as to how long the flights took. The Clippers flew just once a week, carrying only eight or nine passengers, since cargo and mail took priority. (Reference1 — Reference 2) There’s no way Trump would have had the vision to start a hotel chain there in the late 1930’s.
Hawaii was a tourist designation for the rich in the early 1900’s and there were only a few hotels on Waikiki Beach. (Reference) The well-to-do traveled there on luxury ships like the Lurline.
If the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor I can easily Trump him thinking that there was nothing in it for him to enter the war at what he knew would be incredible expense. Who knows, he might have taken a payoff from Emperor Hirohito, or even knew of the attack in advance.
Regardless of whether he was part of a treasonous conspiracy, he would also know that massive American military intervention would be hugely unpopular with his base because it would necessitate drafting millions of men.
On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. This was the first peacetime draft in United States' history. Those who were selected from the draft lottery were required to serve at least one year in the armed forces. Once the U.S. entered WWII, draft terms extended through the duration of the fighting. By the end of the war in 1945, 50 million men between eighteen and forty-five had registered for the draft and 10 million had been inducted in the military. (Reference)
“Why bother” he’d shout to enthusiastic cheers his rallies, “there’s nothing in it for us, why should any of you risk your lives to save the British just because a few battleships got blown up at Pearl Harbor?”
Anytime someone compares Donald Trump to Hitler or Nazis there is bound to be criticism that they have gone too far. Consider the furor when some compared the detention facilities for immigrant with concentration camps. Just a few days ago the
Former Republican Governor of New Jersey Doubled Down on Tweet Comparing Trump to Hitler.
"Hitler took a long time to get where he was and he had to do a lot of other things. Trump is going much faster," Christie Whitman said.
Even satires about Hitler are controversial. Consider this from yesterday’s Salon:
The uneasy farce of "Jojo Rabbit": Is there ever a good time for "wacky Nazi" satire? Taika Waititi's controversial comedy "Jojo Rabbit" refuses to play it safe, even when it's not entirely successful
Excerpts:
“Jojo” would no doubt be greeted quite differently had it come along at any other modern moment. But unfortunately for all of us living in 2019, its narrative of mass manipulation, misinformation, and the consequences of a reckless madman gaining political power feels nail-bitingly relevant. Right now, it can’t just be a satire of a foolish and tragic era. And that makes it undeniably uncomfortable and not always successful. It also makes it haunting, exhilarating, and often quite beautiful.
………….
Early on in “Jojo Rabbit,” Jojo and his mother are walking together on a sunshine-drenched day when they come up a trio of bodies strung up in the town square. Jojo turns away in youthful disgust, but his mother grabs his head firmly and forces him to look. That’s everything the film demands of us as well. You want the sunlight? Be prepared to look into the darkness. Laugh at buffoonery, yes, and cry over cruelty as well. Accept that they’re inexorably entwined. But don't look away. Not then. Not now. Not ever.
I have mixed feelings about this segment on Conan. I think Sarah Silverman, even though she is Jewish, doesn’t make her point seriously enough. I also think the Daily News cover is too sensationalized.
While my essay is a what-if speculative exercise and I suppose one could call it satire — and you are welcome to opine on whether it is good or effective satire -- it still falls into the Godwin’s Law category. How do you feel about making comparisons like this?