[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

Might be painful for some in the short run, but I agree with Post #6. Much ado about not much. Whatever tariffs are imposed, will be targeted. The sky will NOT fall.

Looking long-term, this only Strengthens America. America won WW 2 for the allies, much as it pains our European friends to admit it. But we didn't win it on the battlefield. Many Axis forces were better-trained, better led, and (at the beginning of the war, anyway) better equipped. But we were in the war economically for about two years before we were ever in it militarily. I forget the lend-lease numbers but translated into today's dollars, they were astronomical. Not just military hardware but things like food, medical supplies, etc. went to the allies in vast amounts long before Dec. 8, 1941. When we did enter the battle we did so with an overwhelming economic powerhouse back home churning out guns, aircraft, tanks, ships, etc. at an incredible rate. I forget the liberty ship numbers but we were cranking them out faster than we could fill them. as far as military equipment went, my numbers might be a bit off but they do indicate the big picture. Aircraft carriers: at the beginning of the war we had very few if any. Japan had four major ones. At the end of the was the carrier war was Japan 0. America over 100! The same for the european theater: The Sherman tanks were pretty easy targets for the Axis, particularly towards the end of things with their Tiger and King Tiger tanks. But our numbers were overwhelming. No matter how fast the axis destroyed them, they just kept coming in ever-increasing numbers.

The point is this. Could we, with so much of our manufacturing done overseas (and a lot by potential enemies) rise to the occasion if necessary, as we did in WW 2? I doubt it.

I agree with everything written there. I would like to add to the list one of my personal peeves. At the time of WW2 the US school system included VOCATIONAL schools which meant that the GIs had the mechanical and other skills needed to fight a war. We stopped INVESTING in VOCATIONAL schools because supposedly they were too expensive to operate. i see that as a MAJOR historic mistake.