It is appalling how few Americans know the history of our country much less world history. They may get a light touch in high school, and if they go on to college, get one semester.

            How many readers know why Japan attacked us in 1941? How does that apply to today? Japan had invaded Manchuria which is a part of China. Their brutality and a pretty Chinese First Lady caused the United States to sanction Japan’s oil imports from here and Indonesia plus we stopped selling them scrap metals. In order to continue their operations in China, they wanted America to stay out of the Southeast Pacific and Southeast Asia. In a couple of months they hit us at Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, and some scattered islands. France’s colonies were already out and England’s activities were futile to protect their interests.

            If we had not sanctioned Japan, would we have gotten into the war since our stand was to sell to England but not declare war? When Japan attacked us, Hitler declared war on America. The Tripartite Pact between Germany, Italy, and Japan said if one was attacked the other two would come in. Hitler’s mistake was that Japan attacked us, not the other way which allowed America to join England.

            What will America, NATO, and other countries do if the invasion of Ukraine turns as bloody as Chechnya was and still is? What will we do when Putin goes into non-NATO Moldavia which is on Ukraine’s southwest corner? All other border countries are in NATO and we have troops in those countries. Will that stop Putin or does world history end with flashes and mushroom clouds?