Charles A Lindbergh and the Des Moines speech: September 11th, 1940
Continuing with the WWII theme that W. & Co. keep pushing, I thought it might be interesting to check out what a leading light of the America isolationists movement had to say about staying out of the war with Hitler.
Charles A. Lindbergh gave this speech on September 11th 1940 in Des Moines Iowa at an America First meeting. That same night FDR gave his famous 'shoot on sight' speech telling Hitler that his U-Boats wouldn't get away with sinking our destoyer escourts anymore.
Oddly, before Lindberg spoke the audience listened to FDR's radio broadcast. According to Lindbergh he thought the whole thing went off quite well, but judging from the negative reaction to the speech afterwards many didn't share this view. Later in life he regretted the speech, but obviously there are still people out there like Pat Buchanan who agreee with what he said.
From: the Borrowed Years: 1938-1941: America on the way to war by Richard M. Ketchum.
The America First Committee scored a victory in getting the American aviation hero Charles Lindberg to speak at their meeting in Des Moines, Iowa on September 11th, 1941. Lindberg began by saying he would speak "with utmost frankness" about who was responsible for trying to force the United States into the war in Europe. Three important groups were, "the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt administration." Beyond these groups were less significant lobbies such as; capitalists, Anglophies, intellectuals, and the communists. "It is not difficult to understand why Jewsih people desire the overthrow of Nazi Germany. The persecution they suffered in Germany would be sufficient to make bitter enemies of any race. No person with a sense of the dignity of mankind can condone the persecution of the Jewish race in Germany. But no person of honesty and vision can look on their pro-war policy here today without seeing the dangers involved in such a policy, bioth for us and for them.
Instead of agitating for war, the Jewish groups in this country should be opposing it in every possible way, for they will be among the first to feel its consequences. Tolerance is a virtue that depends upon peace strength. History shows that it cannot survive war and devestation. A few freightened Jewish people realize this, and stand opposed to intervention. But the majority still do not. Their greatest danger in this country lies in their large ownership of and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio, and our government.
I am not attacking either the Jewish people or the British people. Both races I admire. But I am saying that the leaders of both the British and Jewish races, for reasons which are understandable from their viewpoint as they are inadvisable from ours, for reason which are not American, wich to involve us in this war. We cannot blame them for looking out for their own interests, but we muct look out for ours. We cannot allow natural passions and predjudices of other peoples to lead our country to destruction."
Note: Roosevelt famously once told Treasury secretary Henry Morgenthau: "If I should die tomorrow I want you to know this. I am absolutly convinced that Lindberg is a Nazi."
Charles A. Lindbergh gave this speech on September 11th 1940 in Des Moines Iowa at an America First meeting. That same night FDR gave his famous 'shoot on sight' speech telling Hitler that his U-Boats wouldn't get away with sinking our destoyer escourts anymore.
Oddly, before Lindberg spoke the audience listened to FDR's radio broadcast. According to Lindbergh he thought the whole thing went off quite well, but judging from the negative reaction to the speech afterwards many didn't share this view. Later in life he regretted the speech, but obviously there are still people out there like Pat Buchanan who agreee with what he said.
From: the Borrowed Years: 1938-1941: America on the way to war by Richard M. Ketchum.
The America First Committee scored a victory in getting the American aviation hero Charles Lindberg to speak at their meeting in Des Moines, Iowa on September 11th, 1941. Lindberg began by saying he would speak "with utmost frankness" about who was responsible for trying to force the United States into the war in Europe. Three important groups were, "the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt administration." Beyond these groups were less significant lobbies such as; capitalists, Anglophies, intellectuals, and the communists. "It is not difficult to understand why Jewsih people desire the overthrow of Nazi Germany. The persecution they suffered in Germany would be sufficient to make bitter enemies of any race. No person with a sense of the dignity of mankind can condone the persecution of the Jewish race in Germany. But no person of honesty and vision can look on their pro-war policy here today without seeing the dangers involved in such a policy, bioth for us and for them.
Instead of agitating for war, the Jewish groups in this country should be opposing it in every possible way, for they will be among the first to feel its consequences. Tolerance is a virtue that depends upon peace strength. History shows that it cannot survive war and devestation. A few freightened Jewish people realize this, and stand opposed to intervention. But the majority still do not. Their greatest danger in this country lies in their large ownership of and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio, and our government.
I am not attacking either the Jewish people or the British people. Both races I admire. But I am saying that the leaders of both the British and Jewish races, for reasons which are understandable from their viewpoint as they are inadvisable from ours, for reason which are not American, wich to involve us in this war. We cannot blame them for looking out for their own interests, but we muct look out for ours. We cannot allow natural passions and predjudices of other peoples to lead our country to destruction."
Note: Roosevelt famously once told Treasury secretary Henry Morgenthau: "If I should die tomorrow I want you to know this. I am absolutly convinced that Lindberg is a Nazi."
posted by William Duane at 4:09 PM
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