Figure 1.-- This World war I poster read, "1778-1783 America owes France the most unalterable gratitude. 1917- ... French comrade, your children shall be as our children." This seems to be American repaying its Revolutionary war debt to France. Even during the War that France contributing to American security occurred to few americans. and after the war it was almost totally rejected by the vast number of Americans. The artist was American illustrator Lucien Jonas (1880-1947) who stronglysupported the allied cause. Published: Paris : Imp. H. Chachoin in Paris, probably 1918. Source: American Ouvroir Funds.

The position of America in a Europe dominated by Imperial Germany was simply ignored in the debate during the 1920s. No one seemed to ask what would have resulted had the Germans been allowed to win the War and dominate Europe. For centuries the British had based their security on the independence of the Low Countries. Many Americans saw such power politics as actually evil and the cause of wars. Americans in the 1910s did not seem to feel a German-dominated Europe was a threat. and after the War in the 1920s and 30s most Americans returned to this point of view. The attitude was that Europe was corrupt. and we should not get involved in their meaningless dynastic wars. Now we do not think thatPresident Washington was wrong when he essentially made this argument in the 18th century. But those who wanted to just ignore Europe failed to ask some very basic questions. What would have happened if Napoleon had won the Napoleonic Wars? How would the restablishment of a French North American Empire affected the United States? How did the primacy of the British Royal Navy promote American security in the 19th century? How would a Europe dominated by German impact America if the Germans won the war? These questions were just not partof the national dialog. A reader comments, "I asked myself those questions s well. Most americans did not. And finally, how would a Europe dominated by the NAZIs or Soviets and an Asia dominted by Japan affect America? Most Americans continued to see our oceanic barriers as insuring our security. Only after Framce fell to the NAZIs (June 1940) did many Americans begin to ask this question. And many refused to ask it even then. Only the shock of the Japanese carrier strike on Pearl Harbor fundamentally changed American strategic thinking. Yhe fact that the Japanese coild launch powerful attack halfway across the Pacific seems to have been the decisive game changer for Americans. Suddenly the ocean was an invasion route rather than a secure barrier.

Created: 5:04 PM 1/25/2016
Last updated: 6:33 AM 1/26/2016