Just learned a cool new phrase today. What is a “phony war” atmosphere? Well, let us imagine London and Paris in late 1939 and the first half of 1940.
- People are afraid that war is coming soon, maybe even to their city.
- The war hasn’t happened yet.
- Optimists still hope they can head off the war.
- Maybe the war will come and maybe it won’t, but unfortunately, it does look like peaceful days are numbered.
Why is it a phony war? The city and/or the country is not yet at war, but everyone is acting like they are living in wartime. In short, everyone is terrified and living in the future.
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War broke out on 3 September 1939. As a kid I spent the day filling sandbags. The US joined in in 1941, after Pearl Harbour.
Here’s how it’s done and the Amurderkens still fall in line.
http://www.emptywheel.net/2014/09/10/lets-bomb-syria-version-2-is-working-why-did-version-1-fail/
Pretty soon they’re will be another war in Iraq, and you can be sure the next Republican (and probably Democrat too, except he will try to sugarcoat it), will continue and expand it.
Technically, as I understand, France was at war with Germany from 3rd September 1939 onwards. It just didn’t really get going for a while.
But I am sure the atmposphere was as you describe.
(Please pardon the typo…)
Not to mention the uncanny reflection on modern proxy wars. We are at war, but w are not at war. Or is it the other way round?
(And the other typo…)