Is there good reason to celebrate the United States’ existence on July 4th?
An ongoing debate asks whether the United States is unique or unexceptional.
I believe the United States is unique, in the correct meaning of the word, that it is the only one of its kind. Here’s why:
From time to time in recorded history, circumstances have presented a nation with unmatched power—think of Rome in the later stages of the republic, or Kubla Khan’s Mongolia, or England in the eighteenth century. On every such occasion, that nation has seized the moment to project power, to subjugate its neighbors and its neighbors’ neighbors, to pillage and plunder, and to establish an empire and rule by decree. On every such occasion—save one.
In 1945, the United States was uniquely powerful. It had projected power thousands of miles westward across the Pacific, and thousands of miles eastward across the Atlantic, to crush the Axis powers. It had 12 million men and women in the armed services—the same number as the entire population of Canada. It had an industrial base that was launching an aircraft carrier every two weeks—yes, that’s not a typo—and a B24 bomber every 58 minutes. And in July 1945 it became the first and sole possessor of a nuclear bomb.
There was no power on earth capable of stopping the United States.
But the USA did not conform to historical norms. Instead, it helped its enemies back on their feet and went home. It followed the words of the bible: ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink.’ It was called the Marshall Plan.
As Churchill later said: ‘In War: Resolution, In Defeat: Defiance, In Victory: Magnanimity, In Peace: Good Will.’
And that, to me, is why the United States is truly and laudably unique. As Churchill also said, ‘You can always rely on the Americans to do the right thing, after they’ve tried everything else.’
Happy 4th.
