Presidential Cabinet Fails Repeatedly to Send Aid to Desperate Britain

LONDON/WASHINGTON, JUNE 1940 – As Nazi German troops move towards London from French ports, Britain’s war cabinet could not convince the U.S. presidential cabinet to provide defensive aid, with the Helping Our Allies (HOA) executive order which completely fulfilled Britain’s proposal failing 6-18-1 and the Britain-U.S. Collaboration Order (BUCO), which focused on collaboration and anti-German propaganda in the US, falling short of the two-thirds margin necessary for immediate passage by a single vote after a vote of 16-9-0. Currently, the presidential cabinet is deliberating on a bill which would attempt to take over control of Britain and use both governments to defeat the Nazis.

In the meantime, Britain is digging in defensively with the passage of the multifaceted Operation Terry to slow the German approach and evacuate civilians from affected regions. Top British officials explained that their offensives are effective, but Germany could reach London before British forces reach Berlin.

British officials also attempted to sway the U.S. through propaganda featuring the popular character Sergeant Simon, sending dolls as well as showing a sneak preview of their propaganda film “Beneath the German Skies”.

In the presidential cabinet, one reason officials were hesitant to help Britain was that Britain had previously orchestrated a terrorist attack in New York, attempting to pin it on Germany and bring the U.S. into the war effort. British officials denied any role in the attack, calling those claims “propaganda,” but American officials were unconvinced and some felt Britain was untrustworthy.

However, cabinet members recognized Nazis as a global threat, with the Secretary of Agriculture predicting that “Hitler won’t stop at Europe,” and presenting Nazis as a direct threat to America. The Secretary of Labor warned Americans: “You are on the line too.” Cabinet members also invoked messages of morality, with the Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget invoking a famous quote of the then-eleven-year-old Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Presidential cabinet members were visibly shocked at the more moderate BUCO failing after widespread support, with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development saying she “did not” expect the failure.

Time will tell if Britain will be able to defeat the Nazi threat, and if the U.S. will provide them any help.

This article was written by Julia Critz.