Today I Learned

151 readers

3 users here now

Post direct links to interesting facts that you just learned about today

founded 1 year ago

131

TIL that in 1916 there was a proposed Amendment to the US Constitution that would put all acts of war to a national vote, and anyone voting yes would have to register as a volunteer for service in the (www.huffpost.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

19 comments fedilink hide all child comments

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

Can you imagine what would have happened during WW2 if that had passed? There were a number of Americans sympathetic towards the Nazis, and a much larger number of Americans sympathetic towards the Allies, but not sympathetic enough to risk the lives of their sons, fathers, and husbands. I struggle to see a world where a national vote would have resulted in a large enough majority.

I imagine it would have extended the war by at least another five years. I do think the Nazis would still have lost eventually, as they struggle to maintain control over the entirety of Europe whilst also trying to destroy the UK and Russia. But it would likely have been a Pyrrhic victory, leaving both victors almost completely decimated too.