It was enlightening for you to reprint the William R. Mathews editorial about the then possible Japanese attack against the US that culminated in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
When President Teddy Roosevelt helped to end the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War he allowed Japan to take over the south part of the island of Sakhalin Island, which the Russians later captured in August 1945.
Roosevelt also allowed Japan to have influence in Korea starting in 1905. Japan took full control of Korea in 1910. Japan staged a takeover of Manchuria (they called it Manchuko) in 1932 with no strong counter action from the League of Nations. Japan attacked China in 1937. It wasn't until the Japanese attacked French Indochina in 1940 that a US oil embargo of Japan started.
Today, after successfully taking the Georgian Republic in 2008, Russia threatens a takeover of the Ukraine. The 2014 Russian invasion of the Crimea was just a start. Putin wants to restore a greater Russia on the bones of the USSR.
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Matt Somers
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
