This Is American Fascism! — TL;DR

In The Words of Those Who Rid the World of Nazis

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This is the condensed version of This Is American Fascism! For the full weight of the evidence, including the direct quotes, citations, videos and in-depth analysis of the chilling 1945 U.S. Army warning, please read the complete article.

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There is a word the current administration does not want you to use. They have threatened those who say it out loud. That word is fascism.

This isn’t a partisan attack; it’s a diagnosis based on an 80-year-old U.S. government document. In 1945, the U.S. War Department published a fact sheet for soldiers titled “FASCISM!” to teach them how to identify the enemy ideology they were fighting and, more importantly, how to recognize it if it ever appeared in America.

The cover of the U.S. War Department’s “Army Talk, Orientation Fact Sheet #64,” dated March 24, 1945. This guide was created to teach American soldiers how to identify the enemy ideology they were fighting.

That document provided a three-part litmus test for spotting a native American fascist movement. Chillingly, that 80-year-old warning serves as a perfect blueprint for the political movement that dominates America today.

Test #1: The “Convenient Scapegoat”

The Army warned that American fascists would launch a “well-planned ‘hate campaign’” against a scapegoat, specifically targeting the “anti-foreign-born.”

Today, we see this exact tactic in the administration’s war on immigrants. It began with rhetoric, labeling asylum seekers as an “invasion” and accusing anyone who questions ICE of siding with “vicious cartels.” This hate campaign is a manufactured lie—over 71% of ICE detainees have no criminal convictions.

But it’s not just talk. The Army warned of fascist methods like “terror, and suppression of civil liberties.” We are now witnessing this in real-time. Video evidence from across the country shows masked federal agents in battle fatigues using unmarked vans and assault rifles to round up Latino workers. These raids, described by members of Congress as “Gestapo operations,” often violate the Constitution. The architect of these tactics, Chief Gregor Bovino, dismisses any distinction between a farmworker and a drug dealer, promising that this terror will become “normal very soon.”

Test #2: A Perverted Nationalism

The 1945 guide predicted fascists would “deny the need for international cooperation,” replacing it with a “perverted sort of ultra-nationalism” that breeds “hatred and suspicion” toward other nations.

The evidence of this is overwhelming. The administration has systematically withdrawn the U.S. from key international agreements like the Paris Climate Accord and the World Health Organization. It has treated our oldest democratic allies in NATO with open hostility, pulling troops from Germany in a move that benefits Russia, while cozying up to authoritarians like Vladimir Putin. This ultra-nationalist mindset sees the world as an asset to be dominated, exemplified by the attempt to buy Greenland and the assertion that the Panama Canal belongs to America, in defiance of international treaties.

Test #3: The “Red Bogey”

The final test warned of the “indiscriminate pinning of the label ‘Red’ on people and proposals which one opposes.” This tactic creates a false choice: “either fascism or communism,” labeling everyone who refuses to support them as a communist.

Today, this is a core part of the administration’s messaging. President Trump has framed his campaign as the “final battle” against “communists.” Senior Advisor Stephen Miller labels any policy he dislikes a “communist assault.”

This rhetoric has now escalated into state action. By designating “antifa”—an unorganized, anti-fascist ideology—as a “domestic terrorist organization,” the administration has taken the final step. It has legally branded its political opposition as an enemy of the state that must be destroyed, fulfilling the “Red Bogey” warning in its most dangerous form.

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This article delivers a final warning from the generation that defeated fascism. The American Manifesto is where we turn that warning into a weapon. Every subscription helps us honor their legacy by strengthening the fight. Join us.

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The Verdict

The generation that fought World War II left us a field manual to identify fascism. The evidence is clear: on all three counts, the movement we face today has met their criteria. We will end where their manual began, with their final, urgent warning:

“Fascism is not the easiest thing to identify and analyze; nor, once in power, is it easy to destroy.”

The men of 1945 fought and won their war. This is ours.

The Warning Has Been Delivered. Now It’s Your Turn.

I want to hear from you in the comments:

• What was your reaction to the 1945 Army document? Which of its warnings do you see playing out most dangerously today?

• What other examples of these tactics have you witnessed firsthand?

• Do you see this historical comparison differently? I want to hear your reasoning.

This isn’t just a historical debate—it’s about recognizing our present reality. Share your thoughts below.

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