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ORIGINAL: NorthernGent

It was known in Britain. A good number of Poles fought in the RAF during the Battle of Britain, and they'd witnessed the SS death squads "cleaning up" behind the Wehrmacht in Poland - i.e. slaughtering Jews, Gypsies and Polish intelligentsia on the spot.
 
The camps were confirmed through intercepted messages, and British and French spies. Is it conceivable that a) The British didn't pass this info on to the Americans? and b) The Americans didn't have their own spies reporting the same info?
 
As for the world leader thing, that's divorced from reality. My view is that the world would like to see countries operating within their own borders and the UN acting as an arbitrator when countries such as the US and Britain overstep the mark.

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ORIGINAL: BlueCollar

Personally, I have the view that there are certain conventions that we as humans (not just Americans or Iraqis or Jews or Muslims, but all people) all value and recognise as universally good or just.  And when we have a situation of individuals or states disregarding or actively undermining those conventions, I believe we are entitled to bring those people back in line.  Again, it doesn't have to end in conflict or anything like that, but there should be an element of  enforcement somewhere along the line.

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ORIGINAL: Stephann

NG,

While not strictly biographical, I'd give 'Armageddon' by Leon Uris a read. 

In short, no, the US had no clue what we were expecting out of the USSR.
 

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ORIGINAL: BlueCollar

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ORIGINAL: Stephann
We should accept a role of responsibility as a world leader, or we stay the hell out; including our 'economic interests.' 

I'd like to make a remark as a learned observer to the statement you've just made.

Now I'm not American, but rather a Canadian with a healthy respect for people of all nationalities and cultural backgrounds.  Despite my political, religious, and social outlooks and their contrast with the majority of American citizens, I hold my neighbours to the south in relatively high regard.

Lately, however, with the current policies and direction of the White House administration and obvious political and social trends throughout the nation as a whole, my regard ifs turning into disapointment more than anything else.  Not so much anger or frustration, but dissapointment in  the world's most powerful democracy for neglecting it's ability and will to do good throughout the world.  We're talking about the same country that, at the end of World War II, offered billions of dollars in aid and millions of hours of manpower to help rebuild a shattered Europe in the face of a growing Communist threat from Russia.  The Americans helped rebuild the highways, seaports, canals, and rail networks of France, Poland, Germany, Italy, and many more nations.  Since then, the US has also played a key role in  various peacekeeping operations throughout the world and helped spread democracy and freedom to many formerly-oppressed nations.    In the grans scale of things, the US has contributed greatly in a positve manner to the world in which we live and I hope it continues to do so as well.  I cannot stress this enough:  The United States has so much POTENTIAL to do so many good works throughout the world.  You've got the largest military, the most powerful economy, and, honestly, one of the most advanced political systems in the world.

But with all that said and done, there are times when the US has the ability to do good, but doesn't.  Or even worse, does something that goes against it's very principles as a nation.  Somehow it seems, someone has to completely mess things up.

Consider the aftermath of 9/11.  With the exception of a few fringe nations, You had the WORLD on your side.  For a few weeks, we were all New Yorkers.  The western powers as well as several former enemy states all pledged their support and displayed their condolences for the victims of the terrrorist attacks.  The United States was catapulted in the eyes of the international community as stoic and proud.  There was so much support and eagerness to get behind you and we promised to stand by you in reponse to the atrocities.

6 years later, it's all gone south.  What happened?  How did you're leaders bring you down to being hated and mocked on such a scale as you are now?  I think I know much of the answer, but it just goes to show that you were so highly regarded by so many, but now have lost that status in such a short amount of time.

There's really no point to what I'm saying.  And I'm not really trying to make any bold statements here.  I just had to make the comment in response to what you've hightlighted, Stephann.

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ORIGINAL: popeye1250

BlueCollar, that's the problem, it's not part of the job description of our govt to be doing such things!
Our Congress is (supposed) to be a good steward of the people's money.
Of course other countries "like" the U.S. when we start "giving" them things!
If I gave you $10,000 wouldn't you "like" me?
However, the Congress is there to run our government, not to be a charity for foreign countries.

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ORIGINAL: Stephann

Nazi Germany had sufficiant infrastructure to maintain its foothold in Europe indefinately.  Without D-Day, there would never have been a 'communist' threat.