There was a sci fi story from the 50s or 60s in which the rhetoric and policies of the Soviet Union and the United States have led to preparations for major unlimited war. Finally, a November election has led to the peace candidate being elected by a thoroughly frightened American electorate.

The victorious president-elect shows up at the White House for his briefing from the President. He has a good mind to rake him over the coals for the frightening escalation of tension and heavy expenditure of funds in arming the country and setting the two major nations on the threshold of war.

When he is received by the President, he is ushered into the Oval Office. Already there is the Soviet Premier! He and the President are on a first name basis!

"It had to be this way", they tell the president-elect. "We learned a few years ago that there is an alien flotilla of warships heading for the solar system to conquer Earth. The only way we knew to prepare the world for planet wide defense as rapidly as possible was to foment war, rile up our populations and get the factories building the weapons we will need. We don't know for sure if we can survive. But we do know we will be wiped out in any other scenario."

"You need to understand this immediately and get with the program."

"They arrive tomorrow."