International Tension Quotes
In retrospect Marshall was prescient and if his advice had been followed, the country would have been much better off at the beginning of WWII. The nation was isolated politically and militarily with Republicans and southern Democrats often opposing President Roosevelt’s attempts to help them defend themselves. There was of yet no political will for military preparedness.
The Iran President seemed to be irrational at times. He was also very hostile to democracies—none of which were acceptable to him. But he was the only leader of a member nation of the UN who ever called for the extermination of another UN member state. He called for the State of Israel to be “wiped off the map.”
America, England, Germany and France Many Japanese leaders predicted war between the Great Powers while America and its European Allies did not see the danger as clearly. Shortly after 1936, Hitler began the Second World War. Japan was indeed prepared. Hiranuma became one of the Japanese extremists and after WWII was convicted of war crimes and given a life sentence.
This was true at the time for most nations and their activities—the world was, and was perceived of, as a zero sum game. But with the modern world, much of international activity is not zero sum. In foreign trade both parties to a transaction might win. In scientific research, a win for one nation increases the benefit from all nations who use that research or build upon it.
His fear was well founded. That is exactly what the British tried to do.
