Interesting quote I dug up:
"If Tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."
—James Madison, while a United States
Congressman

Someone was clever.
Oh and:
"Naturally, the common people don't want war, but after all, it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag people along whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country."
—Hermann Goering. Hitler's Reich-Marshall at the Nuremberg Trials after WWII.