Roger-Luc Chayer (Image: AI / Gay Globe)
Once again, U.S. President Donald Trump has demonstrated his ignorance of the history of his own country. Earlier this week, during a press conference, he accused Japan of asking for U.S. protection without being, in his view, ready to assist America in the event of an attack.
This statement, aside from being absurd, is deeply insulting to Japan, a close ally of the United States. It reflects a disregard for history that can only stem from Trump’s ignorance and his entourage, who seem reluctant to correct him.
Here are some historical facts:
During World War II, after Germany’s attack on several European countries, followed by Italy, the United States entered the war alongside their allies about a year later. At the height of the conflict, the Allies were not only present in Europe but also in Asia, as Japan took advantage of the turmoil in Europe to attack the United States at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
We all know the outcome of the war: the Allies were victorious against the Axis powers — Japan, Germany, and Italy — as well as other lesser-known nations that joined the alliance, such as Hungary (Miklós Horthy’s regime, then pro-Nazi government from 1944), Romania (under Ion Antonescu), Bulgaria (Axis ally, but did not declare war on the USSR), Slovakia (puppet state under Jozef Tiso), Croatia (independent state of Croatia, a puppet regime supported by Germany and Italy), and Finland (at war with the USSR in what is called the Continuation War, but not officially a member of the Axis).
According to my historical research, Austria was an exception in the Axis powers. Austria was not officially a Nazi country but was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1938 during the Anschluss. This event marked the integration of Austria into the Third Reich, making it part of Germany until the end of World War II in 1945.
Politically, after the Anschluss, Austria ceased to exist as an independent state. Many Austrians supported this annexation at the time, but others opposed it, sometimes at the cost of their lives.
After the war, Austria adopted the position of being the « first victim of Nazism, » arguing that the country had been invaded and occupied. This interpretation was partly accepted by the Allies, allowing Austria to rebuild without bearing the full responsibility for the Nazi regime.
However, the reality is more complex: Austrians held key positions in the Nazi regime and actively participated in the crimes of the Third Reich. For example, Adolf Eichmann, one of the principal architects of the « Final Solution, » was Austrian.
The American Victory and the Terms of Surrender
And this is where Donald Trump is wrong, lying, or simply showing historical ignorance. The United States, victorious over the Axis powers in Europe and Asia, had no intention of allowing the countries responsible for this deadly war — not only for the soldiers but also for millions of civilians, including Jews who were victims of the Holocaust — to remilitarize. The Allies, with the United States, imposed new constitutions on Germany, Italy, and Japan, prohibiting these countries from rebuilding an offensive army and placing them under American protection in exchange for their reconstruction.
That is what happened. Europe and Japan rebuilt without being able to develop fully capable armies. At best, they could establish a defense force, but one that could only operate within their own borders. Meanwhile, the United States took control of the defense of Germany, Italy, Japan, and many other countries by deploying military bases around the world.
According to Wikipedia, the United States maintains about 800 military bases in 177 countries worldwide. The majority of these installations are in Europe, particularly in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Outside of Europe, countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Bahrain also host a significant number of U.S. bases.
The Beginnings of a Desired Hegemony
For a nation to be powerful, other nations must be weaker, and this has clearly been the aim of the United States. The United States forced the defeated nations of World War II to be militarily weak in order to maintain their grip on them.
At the same time, Europe rebuilt itself in a modern way, its economy unified within an economic community, followed by a major economic union, and the same happened with Japan, which became a major economic superpower. Several victorious European countries developed their armies significantly, such as France, Great Britain, the Nordic countries, Turkey, etc. Since their constitutions had no restrictions, this led to the nuclearization of France and Great Britain.
The Allies’ goal was also to ensure that the defeated countries would not again harm their populations, as seen in Germany with the Jews and pink triangles for homosexuals, in Italy with the Jews and homosexuals, and in Japan against the peoples of occupied countries.
Post-War Germany Constitution
The post-war German Constitution, known as the Basic Law (Grundgesetz), adopted in 1949, initially prohibited the creation of a permanent army. The country, deeply scarred by the horrors of World War II, was meant to focus on peace and reconstruction. However, this prohibition was modified in the 1950s when the threat of communism during the Cold War led to the creation of the Bundeswehr in 1955, a national army under democratic control.
Post-War Italy Constitution
The post-war Italian Constitution, adopted in 1948, did not explicitly prohibit the creation of an army. However, it declared national defense as a duty while emphasizing the importance of peace. After World War II, Italy, which had been allied with fascist Germany, dismantled its former army. However, the country gradually rebuilt its armed forces within the framework of international alliances, notably by joining NATO in 1949, with restrictions and a commitment to peace.
Post-War Japan Constitution
The post-war Japanese Constitution, adopted in 1947, explicitly prohibited the creation of an army. Article 9 states that Japan renounces war as a means of settling international disputes and forbids the maintenance of armed forces. This clause was specifically imposed by the American occupation forces after Japan’s defeat in 1945. However, over time, Japan maintained a self-defense force, the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), despite the theoretical prohibition on an offensive army.
When Trump Is Wrong!
Whether intentionally or not, misleading the American people by claiming that several countries do not maintain stronger armies and abuse the United States for their protection is completely false and unsupported by any historical facts.
Even today, if these countries wanted to amend their constitutions to allow for the creation of much stronger armies in order to contribute to the protection of allies worldwide, they would certainly need the approval of the United States.
Last week, Japan lamented not being able to contribute more significantly to NATO’s objectives. Donald Trump’s response was to call them abusers of the United States’ goodwill. This is deplorable!
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