There was much angst in the 1930s, for instance, about the speed with which fascist Italy and Germany were building them, leaving muddled, democratic Britain in the dust.

ECONOMIST: Britain's roads

After Pearl Harbor FDR successfully headed a government that rapidly mobilized the U.S. economy to fight Nazi Germany, imperialist Japan and Fascist Italy.

FORBES: Fact and Comment

Given this background, not to mention Germany's detested wartime occupation of Greece and the recent rise of neo-fascist political party Golden Dawn, Katidis has since admitted the "stupidity" of his actions.

CNN: AEK bans Katidis for fascist salute