How did this country survive before it found formidable enemies around which the government could mobilize hatred and fear?
I don’t remember the 1930s when poverty, capitalism, godlessness, fascism, communism, Jews and alcohol competed in the American mind for the role of number one adversary. No clear winners!
On December 7, 1941– I was almost 6 — the Japanese boldly and in retrospect foolishly bombed Pearl Harbor. Japs and Nazis, the perfect vile duo. Hollywood took over. Every Saturday, I fought them vicariously in the movies – our good guys beating their bad guys
Since then – with brief exceptions – a viable enemy has united us. To keep that evil from our shores we’ve maintained a “defense’ budget.
After World War II (war budget times), Stalin replaced Hitler and Tojo. my Weekly Reader introduced me to “Uncle Joe” during World War II. After 1945, however, “Stalin the Butcher,” planted red agents in our State Department, mass media, schools and veterinary hospitals. Senator Joe McCarthy found even more remote nooks and crannies where the red menace had hidden – like meat-packing plants.