South wrote:Look at the Panama Canal defenses. They extended well beyond the Canal and the lane approaches. For example, USN patrols extended 1,000 NM out.
The Canal and American coast defense went through numerous revisions during the 19th and 20th centuries...were they in anticipation of World War II?
I mentioned the Pan Am China Clipper service. The inaugural flight was November, 1935. Preparations obviously started well prior. The radio and weathel research and refinement was part of the mob efforts.
That's a bit amorphous.
Richard; Must disagree. It's possible / probable we use a different philosophical approach. I say FDR DID anticipate a new European war. Can't discuss "serious worries" but the planning was going on.
FDR was astonishingly prescient then considering he was in office less than two months after Hitler.
In June, 1933 General MacArthur drew up mob plans based on 3 contingencies.
Which was a revision to the 1931 revision of the 1928 Mobilization Plan...which in turn had antecedents on 1916 when Major MacArthur participated in them. Evidently he was even more prescient than FDR.
In his 28 Jan 1938 message to Congress FDR spoke of the "beginning of a vast program of rearmament". FDR did not wait 5 years without taking actions for war mob.
No he didn't. He used that phrase in 1941 in reference to his speech of 28 January 1938. "He was then chiefly concerned with naval armaments, upon which there had been a considerable start in 1934, largely exceeding the "make-work" Army grants of that year, and that he requested only about $17,000,000 to correct a few of the numerous Army deficiencies. For the message and the President's note relating to it see The Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt (New York: Macmillan, 1941) 1938 Volume, pp. 68-71." See Mark Skinner Watson, Prewar Plans and Preparations, Endnote 2 to Chapter V.
If you review the pre-FDR Naval Treaty of 6 Feb 1922, there is a theme to ditch the capital ships and "set up shop" for submarines and smaller surface vessels. There was an arms race in the construction of cruisers and subs. I present this arms race as a matter of mobilization for pending global war.
Sorry, but what does arms limitations treaties have to do with war mobilization planning and "secret mobilization" by FDR 1933-1939?
Review what the Army Capt Claire Chaulnt (sp?) was doing in China well prior to Pearl / Poland.
Claire Lee Chennault retired from the Army due to ill health and lack of advancement on 30 April 1937. His views at the Air Corps Tactical School had been ignored and/or derided and so he elected to become a merceenary in the employ of China, which was then at war with Japan. What does that have to do with war mobilization planning and "secret mobilization" by FDR 1933-1939?
The FDR 28 Jan 1938 message to Congress generated some reactions in the press and British Parliament that the Br and US fleets were acting in concert in Asia. I cannot "prove" this yet I ask any challenge to provide some commentary. Note that the USS Panay was bombed and strafed by Japanese shore guns on 12 Dec 1937. FDR hushed this up realizing his war preparations could be interfered with by the Isolationists.
Huh? Lack of proof means you have speculation and innuendo, which are the roots of many conspiracy theories. Panay was bombed and strafed by Japanese naval aircraft on orders of the Japanese Army to attack any vessel in the Yangtze. Given the attack was filmed, shown in US newsreels, and generated considerable outrage in the US against Japan, I am unsure what you think was "hushed up"?
Civilian Conservation Corps did have official opening date(s). I am using a different philosophy. The Congressional trade-off to allow for CCC was prior to the date(s).
Yes, you appear to be using the philosophy which allows conspiracy theorists to see National Guard and Reserve drills as Federal programs for seizing personally owned guns.
United Fruit Company's White Fleet: cargo manifests of mango launchers. I cannot prove this.
"Mango launchers"? I dislike mango, but hardly fear them that much.
True, Teapot dome - and Elk Hills, California was a business scandal. I am using it ie the Naval Petroleum Reserves, as a "tile".
A "tile" in a vast mosaic of an unproven conspiracy? Is that correct?
The Merchant Marine Act of 1936 allowed for a long-range program for the enlargement and rebuilding of the US Merchant Marine. These vessels were enrolled in the reserve. A USG subsidy funded much of this.
And beginning in September 1939, resulted in the addition of exactly 33 vessels to the American merchant fleet. An increase of 2.4%. Subtle.
I already mentioned the famous Federal Reserve Act allowing for the most favorable of financing.
So now Woodrow Wilson aided and abetted FDR's jiggery pokery? Very subtle.
Add all these tiles together and it can be seen that FDR knew that Japan's occupation of Manchuria and more; their state of Manchukuo (1931) plus the situation in Europe........maybe he did have serious worries.
FDR was worried? That is the proof of the "secret prewar mobilization"? Subtle.