>>11
Sorry if I wasn't clear. My point was the decision not to fight at all in the great war was a good one. It was merely a slaughter, with no nation deserving war on their soil.
It follows that I believe it was acceptable for Sweden to stay out of WWII because they really didn't make a mess of things.
The Allied forces did (under the League of Nations), at the Treaty of Versailles, which forced Germany to disband it's military and pay for the entire cost of the war (the French were primarily responsible for this).
As a loyal American, if your country was defeated and humiliated in such a way, would you stand for it? Well?
A 'civil' government was required for peace talks, this was demanded by the USA.
Much like modern Iraq, Germany at the time had no democratic tradition. They just didn't see the value of it and didn't want the system.
Consequently, the lack of a military to end the communist uprising in the Weimar Republic, allowed the Nazis to take advantage of the situation by seizing power and declaring a national emergency, naming Hitler dictator for life.
We all know the rest.