Over the years I’ve acquired a large mound of books on World War II. Biographies of the major players, detailed accounts of particular military actions, an hour by hour recounting of Japan’s Longest Day, and, of course, The Ultra Secret.
Published in 1974, The Ultra Secret [F. W. Winterbotham] detailed how – with the help of Polish friends – the British acquired and reverse engineered Germany’s Enigma coding machine. That story has become the basis for several books and a popular movie.
Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Americans cracked the Japanese codes. (As famously detailed in the film Tora, Tora, Tora.)
Knowing what his opponents, such as Erwin Rommel, planned made Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery appear brilliant. Alas, the truth about Monty’s edge eventually appeared and tarnished his image.
Over in the Pacific, American code breakers gave aviators the near exact time Marshal Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto planned to visit a small island within range of P-38 fighter planes. (Yamamoto makes Iran’s Qasem Soleimani look like an underachieving corporal.) The miraculous coincidence praised in 1943 became a case study on a well executed execution in history tomes a generation later.
Jump ahead: next week 53 Republican Senators will vote to remove President Donald John Trump from office, or, to acquit him of the charges brought in his impeachment.
The smart money says Donald walks.
As widely reported, some GOP Senators are already making a mockery of their oath before the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, appearing on Fox News or tweeting when they ought to be listening to testimony.
Of course, courage is no longer permitted in the Republican Party, a.k.a. The Trump Party. Any senator who dares open their mind to the evidence will stay quiet and still vote to acquit. To do otherwise is political suicide. The president happily turns on errant Republicans even faster than he decries “Shifty Schiff” or “Crooked Hillary.”
Yet, in time more evidence about Trump’s action will come out. Important information – even secrets – always leaks, always become part of the public record. (I’ll pre-order John Bolton’s book.)
Those 53 Republican senators face the wrath of history. Today they judge, soon they will be judged. They have no defense, though I expect interesting excuses.
The high moral ground Democrats hold in this battle did not guarantee victory.
Ironically, Democrats will fare better in high school history classes in 2035.
Glenn