President Trump’s dream of a military parade in Washington D.C. is being put on hold, for now. On Twitter, Trump blamed local officials for inflating the estimated cost — $90 million by some accounts. His inspiration for the parade? This. France’s annual Bastille Day festivities commemorate a turning point in the French Revolution more than 200 years ago. The Pentagon says it’s exploring options for the president. But military parades also come loaded with history. Yes, they can be celebrations, but they’re also used by dictators to strike fear into civilians. The U.S. has used parades to celebrate military achievements in the past. In 1946, soon after World War II ended, a victory parade was held on Fifth Avenue in New York. America celebrated again in Washington in 1991 after claiming victory in the first Gulf War. Both parades featured troops and tanks. But they were one-offs designed to celebrate, not intimidate. In other parts of the world, though, that’s not always the case. North Korea regularly parades new ballistic missiles and goose-stepping soldiers around its capital. In theory, it’s to celebrate various milestones. But in a police state where applause is essentially mandatory, the effect is also to instill fear, both at home and abroad. China, too, likes to flex its military muscle, with highly synchronized troop formations marching beside columns of tanks. At this event in 2017, President Xi Jingping is in uniform among thousands of troops. It was to celebrate 90 years since the People’s Liberation Army was created. But it was also political theater. At the time, Xi was trying to solidify his leadership for another term. Russia’s annual Victory Day parade commemorates the defeat of the Nazis, but it also highlights its global ambitions. In 2017, for the first time, air defense missile systems were painted in the white camouflage colors of the Arctic, emphasizing the country’s expanding reach into oil-rich regions. Who knows what a U.S. parade will look like — if it happens. The White House says it wants to thank America’s troops. But a president showcasing his military might without a current war victory to celebrate risks sending the wrong message.