Me thinks you count a bit too much on our soldiers thinking independently with a willingness to disobey orders. Soldiers are trained and molded to obey orders instantly and without question, and not to think on their own. It is the hallmark of every military world wide.
To the point though; American soliders have fired on civilians before - - they will again.
I do believe that the soldiers, currently serving the military, and the LEO’s currently in law enforcement will not kill hundreds of thousands or millions of Americans as things currently stand. I do have faith in those currently serving that they will not do that.
However, I cannot guarentee that those serving the country thirty years from now will be so unwilling to do that.
Yes, soldiers have fired on civilians in very specific situations in the past, but not the sort of mass kills that would be required for a dictator to take over the country.
Anybody trusting the military not to fire on US citizens had better read up on the Bonus Army. MacArthur ordered - AND SOLDIERS COMPLIED - the use of tanks and tear gas against the Bonus Army.
As Ronaldus Magnus once said: “Trust, but verify”, we should say today: “Trust, but expect the worst.”
Yes they have look up the Bonus army or bonus march of 1932 .