[Culturechat] Food for thought

[Vance Roy]

> Administration Split On Europe Invasion
>
> Washington, April 3, 1944 (Reuters)
>
> Fissures are starting to appear in the formerly united front within 
> the Roosevelt administration on the upcoming decision of whether, 
> where and how to invade Europe. Some influential voices within both 
> the Democrat and Republican parties are starting to question the 
> wisdom of toppling Adolf Hitler's regime, and potentially de 
> stabilizing much of the region.
>
> "It's one thing to liberate France and northwestern Europe, and teach 
> the Germans a lesson, but invading a sovereign country and 
> overthrowing its democratically-elected ruler would require a great 
> deal more justification," said one well-connected former State 
> Department official. "The President just hasn't made the case to the 
> American people."
>
> Indeed, some are querulous at the notion of invading France itself.
>
> They argue, correctly, that the German-French Armistice of 1940 is a 
> valid international treaty, and the Vichy government is widely 
> recognized as the legitimate government of France, even by the US. 
> (The British government doesn't recognize it, but much of that is a 
> result of antipathy to the Germans from the Blitz.) Under this 
> reading, German forces are thus legally stationed in France, per the 
> request of its government, and by all observable indications, the 
> Vichy government is supported by the "French street." More Frenchmen 
> serve voluntarily in the Vichy militias than join the "underground" 
> organizations supported by foreign intelligence services like MI5 and 
> OSS.
>
> It was pointed out to this reporter by a prominent former US 
> ambassador to France that, "President Pétain was legally appointed by 
> the last freely elected government of the Third Republic, and 
> therefore is the legitimate democratically-chosen head of state. He 
> has been governing by emergency decree under the appropriate 
> provisions of the Third Republic Constitution. Surely there are grave 
> issues of international law in any aggressive act against France."
>
> In addition, some have proposed that, once the Russians take back 
> Poland, it might make sense for them to stop at the German border. 
> They argue that much, if not most, of Hitler's war-making capacity has 
> been destroyed by the Allied bombing, and after we've taken back the 
> Benelux countries, he'll only be a threat to his own people, and the 
> ethnic minorities within Germany itself.
>
> Others, however, contend that as long as he remains in power, he will 
> be a continual threat to the region, and perhaps even the world, as 
> there are rumors that he's frantically developing weapons of mass 
> destruction greater than any the world has previously seen, and is 
> building rockets with which to deliver them.
>
> "For God's sake, the man is gassing Jews by the millions!" said one 
> exasperated presidential advisor. "Do you think that he's going to be 
> content to simply murder his own people if we let him stay in power?"
>
> Concern is great that, in a total German defeat, or regime change, the 
> results could have unpredictable and far-reaching consequences. 
> Germany consists of a large number of ethnic groups antipathetic to 
> each other, including Germans, Jews, Bohemians, Slavs and Gypsies. In 
> the power vacuum created by the absence of a strong and stable central 
> government, there is concern that it could split up into a number of 
> fractious, balkanized countries, with the potential for renewed war 
> and strife on European soil.
>
> There has been little public discussion of what kind of government 
> would replace the present Nazi reich, and many believe that, in the 
> absence of a plan, it would be foolish to simply go in and topple the 
> dictator.
>
> The Administration has reportedly been talking to German dissidents, 
> but they're hardly united in anything other than a desire to see the 
> end of the Hitler regime. Many who know them well feel that there's 
> little prospect for them forming a post-war consensus German 
> government.
>
> Others say, however, that the German people are well educated, and 
> that if the shackles of the brutal regime that currently oppresses 
> them could be thrown off, there are excellent prospects for one that 
> would be friendly to the US and western values in general. Such a 
> government, in a region in which it is so dominant, could provide a 
> healthy example for the populace in some of the other troubled regimes 
> in the area.
>
> But despite such optimism among some advisors, many, particularly in 
> Congress, are also frustrated by an apparent lack of an exit strategy. 
> There is a great deal of concern, both within and outside the 
> Administration, that should the German government be replaced, US 
> troops might have to be stationed in Europe for five to ten years. 
> Some have even suggested, improbably, that they could end up being 
> there for decades.
>
> One Senator who has been deeply involved in the discussions within the 
> Administration said, off the record, that "we can't risk the chaos 
> that could result from Hitler's removal. He's the only thing holding 
> Germany together."
>
> "Once we get into Alsace, and the Russians cross the Vistula, what we 
> need to do is to establish a truce with him, and set up an arms 
> inspection regime, so that he will never again be able to threaten his 
> neighbors."
>
> "We'll let the new planned United Nations organization handle it."  
>
>
>  

Vance Roy
"Autopsy, burn, bury – you want to be sure."
Winston Churchill, when advised of death of political opponent.