Poland i was prepared but it wasnt, the mightiest military behemoth World History up to that point and poland had a sizable army, very small navy, it didnt have the financial wherewithal that germany did and did think the germans rolled over them. The date was a surprise but was the rest of europe preparing for war . They suspected war was coming. Most European Countries hoped it wouldnt happen. Half were neutral, declared their neutrality. Some had prepared for war to a certain extent but none of them were really ready for what was about to happen. They hope to somehow something would happen to prevent germany from embarking on what hitler had been preparing for for a number of years, keeping their fingers crossed but obviously that didnt work. Host why werent they prepared if they were aware of hitler . Guest remember 1939, only 20 years aftxx years after thed war i, the greatest bloodbath in history to that point. Many of those countries lost hundreds of thousands if not millions of
History up to that point and poland was, had a, sizable army. Small air force, small navy. It was basically a poor country. It didnt have the sense and financial wherewithal germany did. They thought they could hold off germany at least for a while but germans rolled over them. Cspan you say it wasnt a surprise. The date was maybe a surprise but was the rest of europe preparing for war at this point . Guest they expected war was coming. Most European Countries hoped it wouldnt happen. Half the European Countries were neutral. They declared neutrality. Some prepared for war to a certain extent but none of them were really ready for what was about to happen to them. They hoped somehow something would happen to prevent germany from embarking on what, you know, hitler had been really preparing for a number of years. So they were basically keeping their fingered crossed. Obviously that didnt work. Cspan why werent they prepared . If they were aware of what hitler wanted . Part of the reason
[inaudible conversations] booktv recently visited capitol hill to ask members of congress what theyre reading this summer. Well, first of all, thanks to cspan for all you do on this front. Its very Important Service you give to the country. My folks are watching this. My kids will get a kick out of it. I hope they see their picture behind me. Ive got a pretty extensive reading list not only for the summer, but over the next year. I thought id start off with prayer for people under pressure by jonathan aiken, written by a former member of the english parliament, so he knows a little bit about pressure, and i thought i could learn something from him. Troublesome young men by lynne olson has to do with the rise of a small band of conservatives in the parliament during the churchill period and kind of motivated by im a member of the House Freedom caucus. We have 40 or 50 great folks that are trying to solve some of the fiscal problems. And just kind of represent the people more closely, do
Some going to start with a story. When i was a kid probably when i was 11 or 12 just entering adolescence, i lived in a house and we had a big front porch. A and i discovered one summer that if you open the window to my ope bedroom you could go out onto the roof of the front porch. The you know for a kid at that ageemed rea that seemed a real daring thing to do. Ego out on tfihe summer afternoon, their feet with your shirt off. Off and i wasnt that while the kids so that was a wild thing to do. We like to do it but in the neighborhood you grow up in there is always that kid who is kind of a wild kid, who will do anything and in my neighborhood that was teddy hannibal. One day we were sitting out there on the roof feeling very daring and he is like what is up . Next thing you knew, his head popped out the window and he started climbing out, never asked permission just started climbing out and as he did so he goes have you ever jumped off the roof . Are you kidding . I dont even like to
General ham let me start with you. Sort of going in proposition with africom in many ways is youre not going to have large amounts of american troops under your command on the ground, if any. Did you feel at times that you were a general in charge of the contractor army . No, not at all. There is a proper role i think for the contractors but theres also a proper role for the uniformed military. Like the other Combatant Commanders and the Service Chiefs i was part of a discussion with the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and secretary of defense that yielded the defense strategic guidance of 20 to which was approved by the president , and conduct with regard to advocate says they will seek a light footprint innovative and it reads lowcost, approach to africa. Not only because i was part of that discussion but i think that is the right approach. I dont think there is a need for a large standing u. S. Uniformed military presence in africa. But there is a role and there are places whe