Hitler’s Nazism, Mussolini’s Fascism, and Japan’s Imperialism, i.e., the Three Axis Powers, three dominant, interrelated ideologies that sought to overturn the sensitive peace won in WW1. Those three nations possessed unique national characteristics, sharing common traits of extreme militaristic nationalism, anti-communism, totalitarian ambitions, and a drive for territorial expansion to secure resources for their national growth.
While our world today has pretty much moved away from Nazism, Fascism, and Imperialism, we have seen the emergence of totalitarianism in North Korea, China, neo-totalitarianism in Russia, and the theocratic totalitarian regime in Iran. In other words, our world is really no safer than in my childhood days, but leaders like President Trump and our MAGA Team will bring America, and to a great extent our world, back into a position of strength and national security.
IN THE LATE 1940s, when I was growing up in the Shoals of Alabama, my hometown was, in reality, Sheffield and Tuscumbia. At that time Muscle Shoals was not a town in itself, but was more just an extension of Sheffield. So while I lived in Sheffield and Muscle Shoals, I spent a lot of time in Tuscumbia, which was where most of my maternal family members lived.
That is why I usually say that I grew up in the Shoals of Alabama. Florence was the larger of the Tri-Cities and, at that time, considered Sheffield's main rival in sports. But I have to give credit where credit is due, Florence had a lot of pretty girls. Hmmm? Wonder if that is why the boys of Florence were so protective of their side of the Tennessee River?
All of this is leading up to my time in the late 1940s when as a young boy, and during World War 2, I often went to the movies. In Sheffield we had the Ritz Theater and the Shoals Theater. The Ritz was the older and its decor, to me, had more an early 20th century look - while the Colbert Theater was more modern, 1950s modern.
Since the Ritz was older and sat on a side street, it attracted more of a "we watch our budget" audience and drew them by showing double feature movies - mostly older movies and westerns. The Colbert showed the latest movies, musicals (very popular in the 1940s/50s), and newer released movies.
Why the long introduction? It is to tell you about an amazing "as close as Hollywood can be true" musical about The Four Cohans, a late 19th-century American vaudeville family act that brought 20th-century Broadway legend George M. Cohan to show business. They were Jeremiah (father), Helen (mother), Josephine (older sister), and George Michael Cohan, only 8 years old when he began to tour and perform with them.
George eventually left the family act to become a famous composer, producer, playwright, and performer on Broadway. America had been drawn into World War 1 in spite of Democrat President Woodrow Wilson's campaign promise to keep America out of the war.
George M. Cohan gave us American theater patriotism in the early 20th century, with musical hits like "Over There" - "You're a Grand Old Flag" - and "The Yankee Doodle Boy," bringing patriotic musicals to Broadway. America did not want to be in WW1 and Cohan's songs and musicals were instrumental in keeping the patriotic spirit of America alive until our boys would come home for good. This led to Cohan becoming the first, and I believe the only, theatrical artist to receive a Congressional Medal
God bless you and your family,
And God bless America, Bill
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