

Before we give in to Marine Le Pen , can we not learn from what happened after WWII, in Japan in particular? Japan in 1945 and 1946 gave great hope but two years later with Eastern Europe under Soviet control and Mao consolidating Communist rule in China, our Japan model was badly troubled! A General Strike was avoided only by MacArthur putting his reputation on the line to stop it. Acts of sabotage on the railways were counted by the thousand: the body of the President of the Japanese railways was found on the tracks. It was far from the Japan we have come to know.

The US Policy of limited economic improvement in Japan was changed and Truman offered to share America's know-how in Point Four of his 1949 Inaugural Address.

The US had brought over a small group of engineers to set up an effective system of communications needed so the Japanese could hear what the Occupation Authorities had to say. According to Homer Sarasohn, Head of the Civil Communications Section, (CCS) Industry Division, who I knew, they sent word to MacArthur that they had the know-how that Truman offered to share. Other Heads of Sections opposed a give-away as too generous. MacArthur had them debate the matter in front of him and Sarasohn never forgot MacArthur pointing the stem of his pipe at him and saying, “Go! Do it!’ As we know, they did!

The teaching It led to the Japanese electronics industry and the Asian economic revolutions!

Let the displaced Syrians and others be accommodated in Middle Eastern camps, supported by Europe and the US, where they can improve their English, learn another language if they wish and computer skills and turn themselves into people who will be wanted everywhere, including through the Middle East!