[BITList] War Plan Red

[HUGH]

Wednesday,

Did anyone see the subject program on TV (UK Channel 5) last night?  War Plan Red (and Snopes have never heard of it) was developed by the USA (exactly by who, the programme didn't make clear to me) in the 1930s, up to about 1935, for no less a purpose than to invade Canada, bombing civilians and using poison gas. Lindbergh, he of the sanitised reputation (A Nazi? Me?) in the film about him, did spying trips to assess the suitability of some Canadian terrain for seaplanes.  Others compiled books of photos showing strategic locations, roads, railways, etc.   Camouflaged airfields were built near the USA/Canada border.  The plan was for an amphibious landing near Halifax, followed by three thrusts north, west, centre and east, using thousands of conscripted men.  The aim of all this was to destroy or reduce the British Empire. Their war games evaluations showed (to them) that they'd succeed in the Canadian venture, and that Britain would be unable to organise enough manpower to to do anything about it.  The navies (the reckoned) would be evenly balanced, and a status quo would emerge with the Empire much reduced.  But the runup to WW2 emerged, and Roosevelt lost any interest he'd had in the plan.

Hugh.
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