WWII Was Accurately Predicted 20 Years Before It Happened!

World War II reshaped the global order in profound ways, but many of its causes and consequences were anticipated decades earlier. Around 20 years before the war erupted, various thinkers and organizations accurately forecasted the likelihood of another global conflict, including the potential involvement of the United States, and exactly how the United States would get involved. This post explores those early predictions, focusing on the accurate foresight regarding Japan’s attack on U.S. territories through Hawaii, the economic and political motivations behind these forecasts, and how America’s approach to global wealth disparity influenced the postwar world, and the forming of "unfair trade agreements" that had been in place until recently.

Early Warnings and the Role of the Council on Foreign Relations

After World War I, a war that cost Europe's Rothschild family and America's Rockefeller family significant wealth and almost the lives of the Rothschilds, the world powers asked two significant questions: What caused the war, and how do we prevent it from happening again.

Funded primarily by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Ford Foundation, a think-tank was formed consisting of politicians, economists, military strategists, scholars, business leaders, and other representatives of society to study the questions and provide answers. Commissioned by President Woodrow Wilson, that think-tank became what we know today as The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

As a kid, my father, a former Navy pilot, had in our hall closet a thick book whose main title was "Command Decisions". This book, first published in 1921 referenced a series of studies from the CFR predicting that there would be a 2nd world war within 20 years. Furthermore, it foretold that the United States' involvement would be forced by Japan attacking our country via a direct assault on Hawaii, giving such an attack a 60% probability. It gave a probability of 30% for an attack through Alaska, and a probability of 10% for an attack up through Mexico.

Aware of these studies at the time, President Woodrow Wilson made the following public statements:

"I can predict with absolute certainty that within another generation there will be another world war if the nations of the world do not concert the method by which to prevent it." and, "I do not hesitate to say that the war we have just been through, though it was shot through with terror of every kind, is not to be compared with the war we would have to face next time. What the Germans used were toys as compared with what would be used in the next war."

This foresight was remarkable given that the actual attack on Pearl Harbor occurred exactly two decades later, on December 7, 1941.

Motivations Behind the Predictions

The CFR studies concluded that "economic disparity between nations" provided the ignition for such conflicts. They argued that wealth inequality on a global scale was the root cause of such a war. Their proposed solution was radical for the time: redistribute wealth to reduce these disparities and promote stability. In other words, take from the rich nations and give to the poor nations. The CFR maintained that it was less costly to redistribute wealth than it was to fight the war later.

This idea, however, was unacceptable particularly to capitalist America, the weathiest nation on the planet, which prioritized economic growth and national interests over wealth redistribution.

The aftermath of World War I however left many nations grappling with economic hardship and political instability. The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, imposed harsh penalties on Germany, including severe reparations and territorial losses. These conditions impoverished Germany and fueled German resentment and economic despair, creating fertile ground for Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, just as predicted.

Postwar Shifts and America’s Global Role

After World War II, the CFR gained significant credibility, influence, and funding, notably from David Rockefeller. Rockefeller’s support helped the CFR expand its research and policy impact. One key figure hired during this period was Henry Kissinger, who later became Secretary of State under President Nixon. Kissinger’s work reflected a pragmatic approach to global relations, balancing American interests with the realities of a changing world.

Despite earlier calls for wealth redistribution, America did not adopt this approach. Instead, it pursued more politically palatable economic strategies that encouraged rebuilding former enemies through programs like the Marshall Plan for Germany and the Dodge Plan for Japan. These initiatives helped rebuild war-torn economies while requiring those nations to limit their military capabilities, with the U.S. providing security guarantees. This reduced wealth disparity for those countries, while eliminating longer term military threat.

Economic Strategies to Manage Wealth Disparity

Directly transferring American wealth to poorer nations remained politically unacceptable. To reduce wealth disparity elsewhere, the U.S. government incentivized corporations to invest their profits overseas, particularly in developing countries. This approach aimed to reduce economic disparities indirectly by promoting growth and stability through investment overseas rather than in America.

A pivotal moment came in 1971 when Secretary of State Henry Kissinger visited China. This visit marked the beginning of trade agreements that encouraged American corporations to invest significant profits abroad. These investments helped integrate poorer nations into the global economy and created new markets for American goods and services.

At the same time however, the lack of investment in America has taken a toll on our wealth over the following decades with what are now many "unfair trade agreements".

Lessons from Pre-WWII Predictions and Their Legacy

The early predictions about World War II highlight the complex interplay between economic inequality, political decisions, and military conflict. The foresight of organizations like the CFR and leaders like Wilson showed an understanding of these dynamics, even if their proposed solutions were not fully embraced.

America’s postwar policies reflected a compromise between idealism and pragmatism. While wealth redistribution was off the table, rebuilding key nations and encouraging foreign investment helped stabilize tensions and the global economy while reducing the risk of future conflicts. This approach shaped the international order for decades and continues to influence global relations today.

What was not foreseen however is that the trade agreements effectively trained foreign nations like China in particular to take advantage of us. They never intended to play the world's trade game fairly, instead opting to protect only themselves gradually and increasingly over time.

All of a sudden, the math no longer works. It is cheaper to fight the war than it is to guarantee poverty for our children and grandchildren if we do nothing. And with those thoughts, the MAGA movement began to promote making America great again, while ending the U.S. involvement in these harmful agreements now destroying our nation while building nations whose political systems are looking to weaken or even overtake ours.

We can see the new world order of "America First" being announced at the World Economic Forum on the following YouTube video here: 'Globalization Has Failed:' Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick Tells Attendees at World Economic Forum

Just like the prior world order, the new world order of placing America first will have significant effect in the coming decades. This time a positive effect.