During an interview on PBS News Hour, Three Star General H. R. Masters (retired) and Trump’s second security advisor said he didn’t think military officers, current or retired, should comment on their commander-in-chief. As a military historian, I instantly remembered the officers of Germany’s military in the mid-1930s. Even though Hitler was building up the army, navy and air force, many officers could see he was hell-bent on war and probably destruction of Germany.

Why didn’t the German officers who were against Hitler’s plans say anything to stop him? Every private through general had to swear a loyalty oath not to Germany, but to Hitler himself. Several times I have heard Donald Trump say, “The people who work for me should give me complete loyalty.” He has said much of the same about the Senators, Representatives, and Pentagon. When all of those people swear their oath to their office, the President’s name is not mentioned. They swear to defend the United States, not Donald Trump! His demand for absolute loyalty is not unlike Hitler’s demands.