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The military-industrial complex was basically created from scratch in WWII (The U.S's industrial contribution to WWI was a joke). This was never de-mobilized be
by jivatmanx 13y ago
The military-industrial complex was basically created from scratch in WWII (The U.S's industrial contribution to WWI was a joke). This was never de-mobilized because the Cold War began immediately after, and Europe was in no position to defend itself.
- coldtea 13y ago>The military-industrial complex was basically created from scratch in WWII (The U.S's industrial contribution to WWI was a joke). This was never de-mobilized because the Cold War began immediately after, and Europe was in no position to defend itself. Actually it was never de-mobilized because the US needed it to play the role of a world hegemonic power -- to control other places with diplomatic and military might, grab resources and such. It was its opportunity to step on to that role, since WWII had destroyed the European colonian empires. As for Europe, defend itself from what? With the exception of right wing nuts in power, Europeans didn't feel threatened by the USSR. The people of (non Eastern) Europe, were half and half in favor of communism (huge following in Italy, France, Greece, etc. In Western Germany there were lots of sympathizers too, but the communist party was crashed by Hitler (and then the country was divided post war). That would also be the case in Spain and Portugal, if it wasn't for the dictatorships.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- toyg 13y ago>Europeans didn't feel threatened by the USSR. Some Europeans certainly didn't, but many of them, in fact, did feel threatened by the USSR: the ruling classes. Also, opinions on the USSR were quite divided even on the left, with (Moscow-sponsored) hardcore Communist parties being on very different terms with it than traditional Socialist movements.
- Avshalom 13y agoEh, while that's true of what we think of as the military-industrial complex, prior to WWII American history is still one of pretty consistent war. Or in the case of say the Monroe Doctrine, war posturing.
- m0th87 13y agoUS military interventionism spans from far before WW2. The Spanish-American war, the Mexican-American war, the war of 1812, and the brutalities conducted under the umbrella of manifest destiny come to mind.
- dllthomas 13y agoThe War of 1812 was not a shining example of American military power...
- dragonwriter 13y agoIt was an shining example of American military interventionism, though.
- jivatmanx 13y agoNot when you lose to Canada.
- hughdbrown 13y agoHey, Canada has been invaded by the US on at least three occasions -- Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Fenian Raids. I don't know of another country with a 3-0 record against the US. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Canada_(1775) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Canada_(1775) [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812 [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenian_raids https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenian_raids (Does the lack of American effort to impede the Fenian Raids make them an American invasion? It's judgment call.)
- dragonwriter 13y agoCanada wasn't an independent country for any of those (particularly the first two and the beginning of the third), and wasn't a component of the country that won the first of those.
- turar 13y agohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_milit...
- rayiner 13y agoUh, no. The U.S. was militarily interventionist long before that. Spanish-American war anyone?
- jivatmanx 13y agoCuba was a Spanish colony, and the U.S. gave them formal independence just four years after the war ended. It could easily have been permanently annexed.
- tptacek 13y agoWhat countries have we permanently annexed since World War II?
- rayiner 13y agoYeah, we just annexed Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Then don't forget the Mexican-American war, which started with our annexation of Texas and ended with our "purchase" of 1.2 million square miles of territory at firesale prices from a conquered opponent.
- jivatmanx 13y agoLife as a Spanish Colony wasn't so hot. Anyways, these areas were granted U.S. citizenship and autonomy soon after. Earlier, Simon Bolivar, who liberated most of Latin America from Spanish control and laid their democratic foundations, loved the American founding fathers, especially Jefferson, and even sent his nephew to the University of Virginia.