I recently binge-watched Steven Spielberg’s “Masters of the Air” and the accompanying documentary, “The Bloody Hundredth,” on Apple+ TV. Both are fabulous and worth watching, but this is not a review of either program. This is a warning.
Fascism was no joke then, and neo-fascism is no joke now. Watching these two programs (almost 10 hours of television), I could not help but draw comparisons between Nazi Germany then and America now.
In the 1930s, strong fascist leaders, Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito, ruled Germany, Italy, and Japan. World War II began when Germany invaded Poland in 1939. By the time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States declared war, Germany had declared Aryan superiority, waged war across Europe, and conquered multiple European countries.
Great Britain was its immediate target, and if it went down to defeat, world leaders concluded that the so-called Axis of Evil would control the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa and be able to bring the war to the Western Hemisphere. The leaders of the free (and not-so-free) world were determined not to let that happen.
Today, America has survived (with bumps and bruises) the one-term presidency of Donald Trump. For me, he is a clear and present danger to American democracy. While I understand that comparing any current political figure to Adolf Hitler is a sensitive and contentious issue, it is undeniable that there are similarities in terms of bullying tactics, political rhetoric, and alliances with fascist leaders of other countries.
Trump loves strongmen like Putin, the sound of his own voice, and doing and saying dangerous things, but, at least for now, there are vast differences in historical context and scale of impact between the two men.
1930s Germany suffered from economic devastation caused by the loss of WWI and the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles. Its citizens were unhappy, and this chronic unhappiness provided rocket fuel for an extremist regime like the Nazis to seize control. Today, America’s political divide, unjustified economic uncertainty, and social unrest still make Trump attractive to some. However, our present conditions are far less extreme than anything in 1930s Germany.
There are similarities from an ideological standpoint. Hitler was proudly anti-Semitic and racist, loudly proclaiming Aryan superiority. He was also genocidal, exterminating millions of non-Aryans.
On the campaign trail, Trump echoes Hitler’s words and rhetoric to describe immigrants, saying that the undocumented are “poisoning the blood of America,” “vermin,” and a “threat from within.” For now, we can (fortunately) say that Trump’s authoritarian tendencies, controversial policies, and outrageous statements do not yet equate to the state-sponsored persecution or genocide perpetrated by Hitler and the Nazis.
Yet, “never again” must be more than a mere slogan. We must back these words with action at the voting booth to ensure this clear and present danger never again assumes power in America.
Trump’s political tactics pale when compared with Hitler’s. Both men capitalized on perceived grievances to gain political support and employed populist rhetoric. But Hitler was Trump on steroids. He dismantled democratic institutions, silenced dissent, and exerted total control of German society.
So far, while Trump assails the media, attacks his political opponents, and the judges (and their family members) who preside over his criminal and civil litigation, he does so within the framework of our democracy, subject to our system of checks and balances.
In other words, he has far less power in our society than Hitler had in his day. Trump also has far less impact because of his status as a former president. A Trump presidency would seriously harm America, especially in terms of creating more polarization and division. Is it impossible to believe that he is capable of worse?
Hate must begin somewhere. In modern America, as in Nazi Germany, the demonization of minorities or “outsiders” (undocumented immigrants, Muslims, Jews, and people of color) is a Hallmark of Trumpism.
Trump cheerleads the rise in hate crimes and extremist violence targeting minority groups. This includes anti-Semitic attacks, racist incidents, Islamophobia, homophobia, and other forms of bigotry. Social media and public rallies spread disinformation, fuel polarization, and undermine democracy. We must band together as one America to reject these hateful ideologies.
This brings me back to “Masters of the Air” and “The Bloody Hundredth.”
As the documentary suggests, America’s involvement in World War II brought “Harvard history majors, West Virginia coal miners, Wall Street lawyers, Oklahoma cowpunchers, Hollywood Idols, and football heroes” together for a common purpose. As Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal, the only Jewish pilot in the One-Hundredth phrased it, “We developed a tremendous respect for each other, and we shared a victory . . . miraculously, people came together.”
And that is what modern America must do in November 2024.
“The Greatest Generation” were the men and women who fought in World War II, many of whom gave their lives to save the world from fascism. Frank Murphy, a navigator for “The Bloody Hundredth,” summed it up best at the end of the documentary:
“The freedoms that we enjoy did not come about by accident. They were bought and paid for by my generation and the generations that preceded us. And for that reason, I think the World War II generation deserves to be remembered.”
Amen, Frank. Without your sacrifice, we might not have the freedoms we enjoy today. Yet, instead of honoring your sacrifice, too many citizens are poised to throw freedom and democracy away for Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda of false grievance, divisive rhetoric, offensive calls to action, and a vision of America that dishonors its promise.
This November, remember the “Masters of the Air,” “The Bloody Hundredth,” and vote for the America for which these brave men and women fought and died. As President Biden often says, “We are in a battle for the soul of America . . . there is nothing, nothing we can’t do if we do it together.”
Editor’s note: This is an opinion column that solely reflects the opinions of the author.
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For clarifications, comments, & typos, email: editor@occupydemocrats.com.
