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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Introduction to the Actual Origins and Consequences of World War II, January 30, 2007
The late James J. Martin (1915-2004) told this reviewer that William Chamberlin's AMERICA'S SECOND CRUSADE was the best introduction re the actual origins of World War II. Chamberlin introduces readers to the unintended results of World War I from which readers can learn how World War II was one of these unintended conquences of "The Great War" (World War I)
Chamberlin briefly informs the offical reasons for U.S. entry into World War I. Supposedly World War I was "The War to End War" and "To Make the World Safe for Democracy." These slogans have long evaporated by the middle of the 20th century. What actually happened was the rise of Fascism and Big Communism neither of which would have occured had there been no World War I and U.S. entry.
Chamberlin gives a brief but clear understanding of the start of World War II both in Europe and Asia. The fact that the sooner or later the Germans or the Soviets would clash over the power vaccum in Eastern and Central Europe was clear when the Hapsburg or Austrian-Hungarian Empire disintergrated by 1917, and the nationalities actually fought "mini-wars" between 1919 until 1939. German wickedness had little to do with these diplomatic imbalences.
Chamberlin gives a brief treatment of the Polish government. Readers should know that prior to 1919, there was no Poland as the Polish were absorbed by the Hapsburg Germans, the Prussian Germans, and the Russians by 1796. One the Polish were independent, their political leaders refused to face reality and embarked on an aggressive campaign to expand Polish borders. This is important to know because Polish "adventurism" undermines that when Poland was invaded by both the Germans and the Soviets in September, 1939, the Polish were somehow innocent of it all. One should read the November 12, 1938 edition of THE NEW YORK TIMES whereby there were photographs and an article of Polish troops parading in Poland after their forces had defeated the Lituanians and Czechs and took part of their land. Such events obviously attraced the interest of both Hitler and Stalin who were alarmed at these events. When the Germans and the Soviets invaded Poland simultaneously in 1939, these invasions took place after the Polish took the free city of Danzig which was under League Mandate. In other words, the Polish government violated international law in militarily occupying a free city of mostly German people.
Chamberlin also does a good job of introducing readers to the U.S. war against the Japanese in 1941. The U.S. government along with the British, Dutch, Chinese, etc. were working to embargo Japanese trade and reduce the Japanese to economic destitution. Readers should know four days before the Pearl Harbor attack, U.S. forces had already provoke hostilitiies near the Philippines or what George Morganstern calls the Secret War.
Chamberlin gives a masterful summery of war time diplomacy. Chamberlin condemns President Franklin Roosevelts' pandering to the Soviets and Joseph Stalin especially at the Yalta Conference early in 1945. President Roosevelt was warned what a political monster Stalin was, and Roosevelt's only response, cited in the book, was the he (President Roosevelt) had a hunch that Stalin would honor vague promises in spite of considerable documentation to the contrary.
Another example of President Roosevelt's diplomatic stupidity was his refusal to end the war against the Japanese as early as February, 1945. General Douglas Mac Arthur had learned via the Soviets that the Japanese wanted to surrender on terms that amounted to unconditional surrender. President Roosevelt's stupid response was the General Mac Aruther was America's best general but worst politician. After needless loss of life and the use of two nuclear weapons, the Japanese did surrender on the Battle Ship MISSOURI in September of 1945. The terms of surrender were almost exactly the same that Japanese had proposed in February of 1945.
What was the result of such diplomatic blundering? The Soviets pushed deep into Eastern and Central Europe. Removing the Japanese from China enabled the Chinese Communists to win their long civil war against the Chinese Nationalists and confront the Americans during the Korean War (1950-1953). Some Japanese diplomatis chided their U.S. counterparts over these turn of events. Big Communism spread through Eastern Europe and from Siberia to Malasia including Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, China, etc. Chamberlin implies that if anyone won World War II, it was Big Communism.
William Henry Chamberlin produced a clearly written book which gives the unitiated a good start to understanding the results of World War I, the origins and results of World War II, and the ensuring Cold War. This book should attract the alert reader to further reading to know actual history from Court History.
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