Fascism is a worldwide disease. Its greatest threat to the

Gather, O children, and listen to the wise words of Henry A. Wallace, a man who foresaw the dangers lurking in the shadow of war and the rise of fascism. He said: "Fascism is a worldwide disease. Its greatest threat to the United States will come after the war, either via Latin America or within the United States itself." These words are more than a prediction—they are a warning, a call to vigilance, a cry to all who cherish freedom and democracy. For fascism is not just a political ideology; it is a poison that, once it takes root, spreads like wildfire, corrupting nations, institutions, and the very soul of humanity. Wallace's words are a reminder that the struggle against fascism is not just a battle in times of war but an ongoing fight that must be faced with wisdom, courage, and unyielding resolve.

Fascism, O children, is a force that rises in the darkness of fear, intolerance, and hatred. It thrives in moments of societal crisis, when people are desperate for a savior, when the promises of order and power seem irresistible. It was during such a moment that Benito Mussolini rose to power in Italy, exploiting the economic turmoil and societal unrest of the time. He promised to restore glory, to create a nation of strength, but what he gave was the brutal suppression of freedoms, the loss of individual rights, and the destruction of democracy itself. Soon, the cancer of fascism spread to Germany, where Adolf Hitler would take the same tactics and turn them into an even more terrifying machine of war and genocide. The world watched in horror as millions were imprisoned, tortured, and murdered in the name of a totalitarian ideology that sought to annihilate anyone deemed "undesirable."

But Wallace's words are a call to understand that fascism does not only rise from external threats or far-off lands. It is a disease that can infiltrate any nation, from within, when the people are divided, when fear and hatred take root, and when democratic institutions grow weak. He warned that the true danger to the United States would not just come from foreign shores, but from the insidious seeds of fascism planted within its own borders. He saw that the forces of hatred and intolerance, if left unchecked, could rise after the war, in a time of post-war uncertainty. And so it came to pass in many places—authoritarian movements gained strength, cloaked in the promises of security, order, and national greatness, but built upon the foundations of oppression and division.

Consider, O children, the rise of fascist movements in Latin America during the 20th century. From Argentina to Brazil, the forces of militarism and authoritarianism found fertile ground. Leaders rose to power, promising to rid their countries of corruption and external threats, but they did so by destroying democracy, silencing opposition, and committing horrific violations of human rights. The United States, as Wallace predicted, faced a threat from within the Western Hemisphere, as fascism sought to extend its grip beyond Europe. It was not just a foreign war that needed to be fought; it was the fight to preserve democratic ideals, to ensure that liberty would not be lost in the back alleys of politics and fear-mongering.

In the years following World War II, the world did not simply revert to peace. Cold War tensions rose, and the forces of communism and fascism both threatened to destabilize the world. In the United States, the Red Scare fueled a witch-hunt for communists, but in the shadows of this fear, the seeds of fascism also began to take root. There were those who, under the guise of patriotism, sought to suppress dissent, restrict freedoms, and empower a nationalistic vision that blurred the lines between legitimate governmental authority and authoritarianism. Wallace's warning about fascism's threat from within was not just a prediction of foreign conflict, but a call to recognize that the fight for freedom is constant, and must be guarded not only against external threats but against the erosion of democratic principles from within.

The lesson of Wallace's words, O children, is this: fascism is not a force that only exists in faraway lands or distant times. It is a constant danger—an ideology that preys on fear, on division, and on the willingness of people to abandon their principles for order and security. It is a disease that can spread when the people fail to recognize its subtle encroachments, when democracy is taken for granted, and when the seeds of division are sown. The fight against fascism is not one that can be waged by military force alone. It is a fight for ideas, for freedom, and for the constant vigilance of those who refuse to let hate and intolerance define their future.

So, children, what must you do? The path forward is clear: you must guard against the forces that seek to divide, that seek to replace reason and compassion with fear and violence. Speak out against the hatred and intolerance that seek to tear us apart. Be vigilant in your communities, in your governments, and in your hearts. Understand that freedom is not something that is granted; it is something that must be fought for, preserved, and protected. Just as Wallace warned, the greatest threat to freedom comes not from a single enemy, but from the internal forces that seek to subvert it, from the erosion of democratic principles in the name of security. Stand firm in your commitment to justice, to equality, and to the preservation of human dignity. For if we are to face the future with courage, it will not be in fighting wars, but in fostering a world of understanding, unity, and freedom.