Lessons from the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor

Prof. Inboden writes “until that day of infamy, many Americans had held optimistically to certain beliefs about war and international politics that proved illusory. Such as, that dictatorship and aggression in faraway lands did not concern the U.S.; that alliances were a source of vulnerability rather than strength; and that a strong military made war more, rather than less, likely.” Recalling the words of theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, the attacks on Pearl Harbor marked “an end to illusions” that the United States could continue an isolationist policy. After attacks, Prof. Inboden argues “America underwent a series of diplomatic and economic revolutions: from isolationism to international leadership; from protectionism to promoting an open trading system and the institutions to manage it; and from disdaining alliances to forming an extensive network of allies, even with former enemies such as Japan and Germany.” 

On the 75th anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, history provides a valuable reminder of the importance of America’s commitment to global leadership. 

Read the full article in the Dallas Morning News or the Austin American-Statesmen.