Well, been a while since *that* happened...

[ordnance11]

blackaeronaut wrote:

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I'm pretty sure that the US Government had clear-cut reasons for the fuel embargo other than a warm and fuzzy sort of 'Stop being mean to China!' sentiment. I'm honestly not sure, but the outcome of the Boxer Rebellion might have had something to do with it.

Two things of the top of my head for this:
1) The China Lobby - American missionaries had been active in China since the 1890's over there in a big way. Influential Chinese had gone to stateside schools. Like the Soong family. one of who was married to Chiang Kai Shek.
2) The Rape of Nanking. Need I say more?

And yes, we were indeed doing everything we could to help Britain.
After the War of 1812 we'd finally won their respect and soon became
good allies. And at the time, it was pretty clear that the situation
with Nazi Germany wasn't going to be quelled with sweet nothings
whispered in Chancellor Hitler's ear. IMHO, the only thing we did there
that may be considered morally wrong was waiting for so long to get directly involved.

Actually, war with Great Britain was very possible during the Civil War. What changed the equation was a couple of things. 1) The U.S. and Canada decided to demilitarize the border. see the Rush-Bagot treaty. 2) The performance of the U.S fleet during the Spanish-American War. Great Britain's naval doctrine in the years proceeding WWI was to have naval strength equal to her 2 strongest adversaries. Jackie Fisher decided that a fight with the US fleet was not going be an easy task, so the decision was made not have American as an enemy. After that, we and the cousins got along fairly well.

What I hate the most about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is that
it gave war hawks that disregard Sun Tzu credence to the idea that
proactive warfare is better because you can preempt attacks like those.
While they may feel we stabbed them in the back, I feel they destroyed
our leadership's cultural outlook on war altogether. Don't believe me?
Just look at all the other subsequent wars and conflicts that took
place afterwards.

Preemptive war... a time honored tactic.
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell