On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 21:41:50 GMT, michilin@shaw.ca (Michil$(D??(Bn) wrote:

>>Finally, on May 27th, 1941, the US saw fit to declare a state of emergency -
>>not to get involved, mark you! - but merely in recognition that things were
>>getting a little fraught.

Is it any wonder that there was a strong strain of isolationism in the US in
the aftermath of WW I?  As the new conflict unfolded in Europe, it looked to
Americans like those crazy war mongering Europeans were at it again.  After
all, it wasn't the US that imposed the harsh conditions of the Treaty of
Versailles on Germany.  Nor was it the US that gave rise to the "isms" that
arose in Europe in response to the collapse of the old socio-economic order
over there.

I realize that some of my countrymen are a bit too self-congratulatory when,
out of ignorance, they make those strident statements about the US single
handedly saving Europe from Nazism, but on the other hand, the criticism
that the US was reluctant and slow to enter the fray demeans the
contribution of the US troops who fought bravely and died in helping to
snuff the horrid regime of Herr Hitler.  As usual, the truth lies somewhere
in the middle of the two extremes.

MacHamish M$(D??(Br