Eighty years ago, on January 1st, 1942, Winston Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom, Franklin Roosevelt, president of the United States, and Joseph Stalin, prime minister of the Soviet Union, signed the United Nations Declaration, forming the alliance that led World War II against the Axis powers, which were led by Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, Fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini, and the Japanese Empire under Emperor Hirohito. In September 1940, these three struck a ten-year deal. The war, which raged between 1939 and 1945, began on September 1, 1939 and ended on September 2, 1945. It was the most ferocious conflict in human history and the deadliest in terms of casualties, estimated between 60 and 85 million civilians and soldiers. These lives were lost due to brutal military bombardments, war-induced diseases, epidemics, famines, and the inhumane captivity of both military personnel and civilians, with no regard for any humanitarian considerations. Over the six years of war, the world, according to a report published by Deutsche Welle in 2014, suffered financial losses estimated between 100 and 200 billion dollars, based on the calculations of Swiss economist Carl Gunnar Silver in 1947. The conflict encompassed approximately 30 countries and resulted in enormous changes to the global military, political, economic, and social environment. One of the most major developments was the separation of Germany into two states: capitalist West Germany and communist East Germany. Post-WWII era Following the war, the United Nations was established to promote international cooperation and human rights, launching several entities to facilitate equitable international relations, protect smaller nations from the dominance of larger powers, safeguard citizens' rights worldwide, uphold justice and equality, and combat discrimination, hatred, and intolerance. Among the significant affiliates were the General Assembly, the International Court of Justice, the Security Council, the World Health Organisation, the International Monetary Fund, and the International Labour Organisation. Eight decades have passed since the end of World War II, during which time the world has made significant progress in protecting humanity and liberating it from many racial prohibitions and beliefs. Years of challenging and planned human effort have been devoted to propagating democratic values, ensuring equality, accomplishing social justice, and promoting various freedoms. World War II was a true revolution against Nazism, fascism, and all racist ideologies that foster discrimination and suppress individual independence in favour of state supremacy under the motto "The state first, before the citizens and their freedoms." The conflict also resisted colonialism, which sought to promote the interests of powerful nations at the expense of smaller countries and peoples. Nobody can dispute that the world altered completely as a result of this long and brutal struggle, with a focus on global interests rather than those of a single system, ideology, or nation. The United States assisted its European allies in recovering from widespread destruction that damaged their economy, ensuring European citizens' stability and prosperity. It formed strong ties with these countries to protect democratic values as well as economic, political, and social freedoms. The Marshall Plan The Marshall Plan, introduced in 1948 by then-US Secretary of State George Marshall, provided a lifeline to Western European countries devastated by the war. These countries were plunged into terrible destitution, and afflicted by plagues and epidemics. Through this plan, the United States provided 13 billion dollars to rebuild cities, revive industries, and restart production in Western Europe. At the time, the United States was a developing powerhouse. While financial aid was minimal, it enabled countries begin to revitalise their infrastructure. The United States formed powerful alliances with Western Europe to confront the Soviet Union and its communist growth, which threw a shadow over Eastern Europe. This constituted a possible threat to American supremacy, which was gaining global leadership through economic power, varied revenue sources, and dominance in numerous manufacturing areas. One of the key outcomes of the Marshall Plan was the establishment of European economic integration, the removal of trade barriers, and the promotion of continental cooperation, which boosted growth rates and encouraged the full political reform of Western Europe, as noted by Wikipedia. Since then, around 77 years ago, Western Europe has been the United States' key ally, backing it politically, militarily, and economically in global issues. This alliance culminated in the establishment of entities like NATO, which was created in April 1949. Looking at current situation Following this historical background, I will shift to the current day, January 26, 2025. Looking at our current situation, it is evident that all of the historical achievements described above are in risk of being undone. The cause is well known to everyone: Donald Trump, one of the world's most narcissistic and self-centered personalities, was elected President of the United States. Labeling Trump as narcissistic is not my view, but one shared by multiple sources in the worldwide media. Concerns regarding Donald Trump's mental or psychological health first surfaced during his presidential campaign, according to Wikipedia's section on "Donald Trump's Health." Many prominent personalities, media outlets, and mental health doctors have stated that he suffers from a variety of diseases, ranging from narcissistic personality disorder to forms of dementia that run in his family. Trump, 78 years and seven months old, was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, and assuming he serves his full term, he would leave office at 82 years and seven months, one year older than his predecessor Joe Biden. In my opinion, this re-election poses substantial problems for both the globe and the United States in the next period. I summarise these challenges as follows: Firstly, Trump's narcissistic personality, which refuses to accept defeat and seeks revenge, is likely to provoke violent retaliatory actions against his opponents – a behavior unbecoming of a superpower like the United States. Secondly, his promotion of hatred, discrimination, and political and social extremism is evident in his early actions targeting immigrants and individuals of other nationalities. Thirdly, his reinforcement of Nazi-like ideologies, favouring white Christians as a superior group while marginalising minority communities, risks inciting sectarian conflicts. Fourthly, his inclination towards fascist policies is demonstrated by his use of militias to suppress dissent, as seen in his immediate pardoning of Capitol rioters. Fifthly, his authoritarian practices under the banner of "America First" undermine constitutional checks and balances. The excessive expansion of powers through boastful declarations, without alignment with the principles of the American Constitution or even respect for the doctrine of separation of powers and the boundaries of authority, such as statements about denying citizenship to those born on American soil, which is explicitly guaranteed by the Constitution. Finally, The use of language that imposes force and international bullying, whether through sudden declarations, such as the proposal to annex Canada to become the 51st state of the United States of America – a move that undermines the sovereignty of nations without any constraints or consideration for the fact that, as a head of state, he has no right to address the sovereignty of another country in such a chaotic manner – not to mention threats to impose tariffs and economic sanctions on various blocs like BRICS if they consider using any currency other than the dollar, or pressuring European countries, the main ally of the United States, to increase their NATO defence spending to 5 per cent of their gross domestic product. Trump's statements suggest dire consequences globally, with the Middle East facing particular challenges. Ironically, Trump brazenly demands that Saudi Arabia invest a trillion dollars in the US, portraying it as the price of protection. Moreover, he threatens the entire world by asserting that he is fully prepared to harm the interests of any country if they conflict with those of Washington, disregarding all the sacrifices the world has made to preserve the interests of all inhabitants of the Earth without favouritism. Trump's statements, so far, threaten the standing of the United States of America as a superpower and reduce the American presence to nothing more than a selfish, savage capitalist system that cares only about the interests of a handful of giant corporations and tech pro companies that support and back him for their own interests and for greater control over the destinies and freedoms of nations. These boastful declarations herald the beginning of the end of America as the world's leading superpower, as it abandons its fundamental role of maintaining economic balance and stability for all the peoples of the world. For further discussion on this crucial issue, stay tuned for the next edition.
