"In the months leading up to World War II, there was a tendency among many Americans to talk absently about the trouble in Europe. Nothing that happened an ocean away seemed very threatening"

This quote by Gene Tierney speaks to the complacency of many Americans in the months leading up to World War II. Regardless of the growing tensions in Europe, numerous Americans were not taking the situation seriously. They were content to discuss the problem in Europe, but not take any action. The concept of a war taking place an ocean away appeared too far-fetched to be a genuine risk. Regrettably, this complacency would quickly be shattered as the war began to spread and the United States was ultimately drawn into the conflict. This quote works as a suggestion of the importance of taking global events seriously, even if they appear far-off and unimportant.