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Roosevelt and Churchill Have Met to Outline the New Allied Strategy – It Is an All-Out Campaign Against the Axis – The Soviet Union as a New Element in the Situation – The Development of a New Counter-Revolutionary Front – The Isolationist Front |
From New International, Vol. VII No. 8 (Whole No. 57), September 1941, p. 195.
Transcribed & marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for ETOL.
THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE of the Roosevelt-Churchill sea conference off the Newfoundland banks emerges with increasing clarity as the German drive into Russia continues. It is the mobilization of all the resources of the Anglo-America camp for a long war against the Nazis. The leaders of two of the most powerful capitalist nations meet to outline their joint strategy in this war, yet the stronger of the two powers is not actually at war with Germany. Having outlined the Allied war strategy, the real content of which was shrouded in secrecy, the United States, which assumes greater control over the destinies of the “democratic” camp was not present at the subsequent conference of the belligerent nations endorsing the “principles” of the sea meeting! The truth is that it need not have been present. Great Britain, as a result of the exigencies of the war and the peculiarity of her strength or weakness has become a subordinate partner of the United States. The interests of the latter were, therefore, well represented at the conference of the Allies.
In any event, American participation in the war as a military factor is only a matter of time. Roosevelt proceeds with caution principally because the great majority of the American masses remain opposed to such entry. Thus every step taken by Roosevelt is a gradual one calculated to create the kind of relations with Germany as to make war essential to America’s imperialist interests. There is nothing secret about this intention. It has been the aim of the Roosevelt Administration from the very beginning of the war.
Several important steps leading to America’s entry into the war have already been taken. The first was the exchange of fifty aged destroyers for naval bases on British possessions. This was followed by the Lease-Lend Act permitting a continuous and increasing flow of war supplies to England. The occupation of Iceland has drawn American military forces closer to the arena of the war. Since the meeting of Roosevelt and Churchill, the President has announced that the Navy is to patrol the high seas to seek out German submarines, warships and sea raiders with the purpose of sinking them on sight, without warning.
All these measures can lead only to an American declaration of war, since any attempts at retaliation by Germany or the Axis Powers would bring the United States into the conflict swinging.
American foreign policy has become exceedingly belligerent. A little toughness displayed against Japan, threatening the invocation of the joint power of England, the Dutch Netherlands, the USSR and the American Navy, has served to neutralize the Nipponese, at least momentarily. But it has permitted the American Navy a certain independence of action in the Atlantic. Roosevelt, by his conduct, has made it dear that at least one branch of the American service is ready for war: the Navy. America can enter the war with this force alone and maintain a war front on this basis for a considerable time, until the army is whipped into shape, as is undoubtedly being done. By the end of next summer there will be a sufficiently large and well-trained army to begin land operations against the Axis. Let no one err on this point. It was unquestionably one of the points of discussion and agreement between the President and England’s Prime Minister.
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Last updated on 25 October 2014