Ep. 5409 – David Swanson: Leaving World War II Behind – 11/11/2020

Scott interviews author and peace activist David Swanson in honor of Veterans’ Day, or Armistice Day, as it was originally known. Swanson begins by describing the way World War II has become the justification for just about every use of military force by the United States since then. This particular part of American history has made an impression on many people that war can be necessary and good, and that America can be the world’s police force. In a new book, Swanson tries to shift that conversation, both taking his readers back to the circumstances that gave rise to World War II, and also dispelling many of the myths about the war. In particular, he tells the little-known history of U.S. indifference toward—and, even worse, cooperation with—the worst of the Nazi regime, arguing that the real reasons for fighting the war were much less noble. Finally, even if the unique evil of Hitler and the Nazis could justify World War II (an argument Swanson doesn’t buy), that still wouldn’t validate the arguments for why America has to join in any other wars, which clearly fall short of the unique circumstances of Nazi Germany.

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