Originally Posted by
henra
I think most Governments were reluctant to tell their population the truth (knowing that the average voting public wouldn't have been ecstatic over this message) and were hoping all would be well. Hope is a well established and tried and tested operational principle. In many walks of life.
2014 the boogeyman emerged again, no issue with public buy in, at least with the ones who were reachable. This race to re-arm started much later.