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Hooked on History: Hayworth Becomes The Latest Casualty of World War II

Arizona Senatorial candidate and conservative commentator J.D. Hayworth may have some explaining to do to the “greatest generation” and his high school history professor. Hayworth has insisted that the United States never declared war on Germany in World War II — leading to this video. (I must say that with the Frog video on immigration (here), this Arizona election is becoming quite entertaining). As Thomas Jefferson said, “History, in general, only informs us what bad government is.”

While there have only been five declared wars, Germany was one of them.

Here is the Senate record:

DECLARATION OF STATE OF WAR WITH GERMANY

Mr. Connally, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, reported an original joint resolution (S. J. Res. 119) declaring that a state of war exists between the Government of Germany and the Government and the people of the United States, and making provision to prosecute the same, which was read the first time by its title, and the second time at length, as follows:

“Whereas the Government of Germany has formally declared war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it

“Resolved, etc., That the state of war between the United States and the Government of Germany, which has thus been thrust upon the United states, is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Government of Germany; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States.”

Mr. CONNALLY. Mr. President, I shall presently ask unanimous consent for the immediate consideration of the joint resolution just read to the Senate. Before the request is submitted, however, I desire to say that, being advised of the declaration of war upon the United States by the Governments of Germany and Italy, and anticipating a message by the President of the United States in relation thereto, and after a conference with the Secretary of State, as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, I called a meeting of the committee this morning and submitted to the committee the course I expected to pursue as chairman and the request which I expected to make.

I am authorized by the Committee on Foreign Relations to say to the Senate that after consideration of the text of the joint resolution which I have reported and after mature consideration of all aspects of this matter, the membership of the Committee on Foreign Relations unanimously approve and agree to the course suggested. One member of the committee was absent, but I have authority to express his views.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for the present consideration of the joint resolution.

The VICE PRESIDENT. Is there objection?

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the joint resolution (S. J. Res. 119) declaring that a state of war exists between the Government of Germany and the Government and the people of the United States, and making provision to prosecute the same.

The VICE PRESIDENT. The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the joint resolution.

The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, and was read the third time.

The VICE PRESIDENT. The joint resolution having been read the third time, the question is, Shall it pass?

Mr. CONNALLY. On that question I ask for the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered, and the Chief Clerk proceeded to call the roll.

The result was announced yeas 88, nays 0.

* * * * * *

So the joint resolution (S. J. Res. 119) was passed.

The preamble was agreed to.

Here are the House proceedings:

DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST GERMANY

Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass House Joint Resolution 256, which I send to the desk and ask to have read.

The Clerk read as follows.

“Whereas the Government of Germany has formally declared war against the Government and the people of the United States of America: Therefore be it

“Resolved, etc., That the state of war between the United States and the Government of Germany which has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Government of Germany; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all of the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States.”

The SPEAKER. The question is, Will the House suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution?

Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

* * * * * *

The question was taken; and there were yeas 393, answered “present” 1, not voting 36.

So (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended, and the resolution was agreed to.

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Frazier, its legislative clerk, announced that the Senate had passed joint resolutions of the following titles, in which the concurrence of the House is requested:

“S. J. Res. 119. Joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists between the Government of Germany and the Government and the people of the United States and making provision to prosecute the same; and

“S. J. Res. 120. Joint resolution declaring that a state of war exists between the Government of Italy and the Government and the people of the United States and making provision to prosecute the same.”

DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST GERMANY

Mr. MCCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker’s table Senate Joint Resolution 119, which is identical with the resolution just adopted by the House, and pass the Senate resolution.

The Clerk read the title of the resolution.

The SPEAKER. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?

There was no objection.

The Senate joint resolution was read a third time, and passed.

It makes one think that Winston Churchill today might revise his remarks to say: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much [known] by so . . . few.”

28 thoughts on “Hooked on History: Hayworth Becomes The Latest Casualty of World War II”

  1. We were attacking Germany before we ever declared war on Germany. So, technically, we hadn’t declared war on Germany before we were in military engagements with them and Hayworth’s statement is probably more true than false on that account.

    This would be the same as if we suddenly declared war on Pakistan even though Obama has already used the military against it time and again. This is possibly the reason Hayworth mentions using the military before a declaration in order to justify our attacks in the middle east during the Bush years. He voted for these attacks under Bush.

    In essence, Hayworth is justifying our undeclared (war) attacks in the middle east with FDR’s undeclared (war) attacks against Germany.

    Obama must use the same rationale himself or else he too would be considered guilty of violating the Constitution (which I believe he is) and in the eyes of history possibly committing crimes against humanity.

    Below is a link to an article called “Why J.D. Hayworth Is Right”. It is written by an Israeli born writer living in the USA. He clearly appears to be a neocon (which I am not) as evidenced by he support of the war on terror and his use of the term “Paultard” (referring to Ron or Rand Paul).

    So he is not a guy who would agree with me yet he also claims a certain amount of accuracy in Hayworth’s claim.

    He writes:

    “To get back to J.D. Hayworth’s statement, the US did eventually declare war on Germany, however this was in response to Germany’s own declaration of war on the United States, which was in response to the US declaration of war on Japan.”

    http://www.eurasiareview.com/2010/05/why-jd-hayworth-is-right.html

    FDR lied his way into war:

    http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25424

  2. Pathetic and sad.

    I think Hayworth has spent his career relying on staff, and when things like this happen, you wonder how he can honestly say that he doesn’t need to have his hand held by a staffer.

    Come to think of it, that’s probably his only qualification for the Senate–a need to rely on staff to keep him out of trouble.

  5. of course we didn’t declare war on germany. G,W’s granddaddy Prescott Bush was making too much money off the nazi’s.
    [s]

  6. And he says it with such emphatic certainty … was he home schooled by an early teabagger?

  7. I hope the Texas educators get the Hayworth version of the Second World War into all the state’s textbooks.

  8. “I fought in World War II. I wore the uniform. I parachuted behind enemy lines. I killed 342 enemy soldiers bare handed.

    “And where was McCain?

    “Pleading for an exemption from the draft because of his ridiculous claim that he was only six years old.

    “Vote for Hayworth. He fought and died for you in World War II.”

  10. Anyone can get their facts wrong once in awhile. Especially when wiki/Internet is not readily available.

    One can only hope he beats McCain.

  11. Mr. Hayworth is Exhibit “A” in my new book on the long-term effects of having American history taught by high school football coaches.

  12. I heard this story on “Countdown” last night, and just about fell off the couch laughing.

    Step One: Open mouth
    Step Two: Insert foot …

    Much for AZ to be proud of these days!

  13. Deborah Hayworth was answering questions about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

  15. Pingback: Hooked on History: Hayworth Becomes The Latest Casualty of World War II | rssblogstory.com

  16. “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor!?!” – Sen. Bluto Blutarsky

  17. There are people on this blog who say vote for the challenger not the incumbent. J D Hayworth is the challenger.

  18. Now i know why I remain a democrat. We might not be totally honest but we are not way out there like the repubs, teabaggers or whatever you want to call them.

  19. WOW. Am I stunned or what… I cannot believe my eyes.

  20. I think another Jefferson quote applies to our Arizona brethren as well:

    “The sheep are happier of themselves than under the care of the wolves.”

    ~Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Virginia Q.XI, 1782

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