Dolchstosslegende Redux

The Dolchstosslegende (stabbed-in-the back legend) was a powerful narrative that originated with Field Marshal von Hindenburg following the disasterous defeat of the German army in World War I.  The German army, the legend goes, was all-powerful, but was betrayed by "internal forces", which forced Germany into a humiliating defeat.  That narrative was neatly taken on by the Nazis, who explicitly identified the treacherous internal forces as Jews, homosexuals, communists, etc.

The Dolchstosslegende was exported to the United States following World War II; the narrative was taken on by the right-wing political forces to gain popular support.  "Subversive elements" (Democrats) and "intellectuals"(code word for homosexuals) had sold out eastern Europe at Yalta to the Soviet Union.  This narrative was so successful in reversing the fortunes of the Republican Party, that it was reused to explain the setbacks in the Korean War conflict and then later the debacle of the Vietnam War. 

The writer Kevin Baker has a good article in this month's issue of Harper's Magazine: Stabbed in the Back! The past and future of a right-wing myth. Unfortunately, the article is not available online. Baker has a detailed history of how the myth has been used in the United States since the 1940s, and how it is now being redeployed by the Bush administration to explain the failure of its Iraq War. Here is how the formula works, according to Baker:

"Since the end of World War II [the myth of the stab-in-the-back] has been the device by which the American right has both revitalized itself and repeatedly avoided responsibility for its own worst blunders. Indeed, the right has distilled its tale of betrayal into a formula: Advocate some momentarily popular but reckless policy. Deny culpability when that policy is exposed as disastrous. Blame the disaster on internal enemies who hate America. Repeat."

Bush and his neocon minions are trying valiantly to revitalize the myth:  the invasion of Iraq was heroic. The (communist, terrorist, gay) critics of the policy are treasonous and are demoralizing the troops while giving comfort to al-Qaeda.  They and their allies in the liberal press are to blame for all of the carnage we see on TV and in our military hospitals. Only problem is, despite the best efforts of the Fox News Network, the legend is not working so well this time:  Bush and his war are so unpopular that only his most loyal base believes in this myth.  But the myth of the Dolchstosslegende will no doubt rise from the ashes like a phoenix when the next war presents itself. The narrative of  a treacherous fifth column inside the ranks is a powerful aspect of the reactionary imagination.

Comments

[Joerg]

Are you calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq?

Many people do. I agree with you that many conservatives will then blame those people (rather than the many severe mistakes made by the administration) for the civil war in Iraq, which would develop if the US would withdraw soon.

The "Return the troops now"-crowd will be very convenient for those conservatives.

However, don't they have a point? The job is not done yet. You have to give them all the ressources to finish the job.

I believe that the US is now responsible for what is going to happen in Iraq.

I am sure some conservatives will later say that they are not responsible for civil war or dictatorship or theocracy in Iraq, because Iraq is a sovereign nation and the Iraqis can do whatever they want.
I disagree. If Iraq remains unstable and violent in the next ten years, the US is still responsible in the eyes of the world. Likewise, the US can credit itself, if Iraq will be a stable democratic country in ten years and the world should acknowledge such a US achievement.

You have been against starting the Iraq war. Okay.
Now the US is stuck in Iraq. You can blame the supporters for the war.

However, I do believe that immediate withdrawal of all US troops (i.e. within 6 months) would be another severe mistake. If the US is making this mistake and things in Iraq will go downhill, then I am going to blame those who called for this pre-mature withdrawal.

Would you then accuse me as a supporter of the "stab in back" myth?

Do you call for immediate withdrawal?

I know that some experts like Juan Cole advocate immediate withdrawal. I think he made such a call already last year, when he argued that the US causes more harm than good in Iraq. Therefore a withdrawal would be better. So I acknowledge there are some good arguments for withdrawal, but at the end of the day, I think immediate withdrawal would be a mistake.