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America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War by H.W. Brands
Bestselling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. W. Brands narrates the fierce debate over America's role in the world in the runup to World War II through its two most important President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who advocated intervention, and his isolationist nemesis, aviator and popular hero Charles Lindbergh.Hitler's invasion of Poland in September 1939 launched a momentous period of decision-making for the United States. With fascism rampant abroad, should America take responsibility for its defeat?
For popular hero Charles Lindbergh, saying no to another world war only twenty years after the first was the obvious answer. Lindbergh had become famous and adored around the world after his historic first flight over the Atlantic in 1927. In the years since, he had emerged as a vocal critic of American involvement overseas, rallying Americans toward isolationism as the nominal head of the America First Committee. As Hitler advanced across Europe and threatened the British Isles, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt struggled to turn the tide of public opinion. With great effort, political shrewdness and outright deception—aided by secret British disinformation efforts in America—FDR readied the country for war. He pushed the US onto the world stage where it has stayed ever since.In this gripping narrative, H.W. Brands sheds light on a crucial tipping point in American history and depicts the making of a legendary president.
What I knew about Lindbergh before reading this book was his flight, the kidnapping and death of his baby son, and that he was a Nazi and an anti-semite. What I learned from this book was, while the first two are true, the last two are somewhat questionable. Lindbergh never praised the Nazi, but apparently he never condemned them, either. As for the Jews, he gave them partial blame for pushing the United States into the war. But he also made it clear that, given what was happening to their people in Europe he really couldn’t blame them.
He comes across as someone who truly believes that the United States should stay out of the war because, hey, we’ll be okay. Forget that all of Europe would be in the hands of a mad man. That’s their problem. Oh, well, we still can trade with South America. It’s hard to imagine someone who had been all over the world could be so naive.
If only the author had been willing to look deeper into FDR’s thoughts (someone who I do know something about.) The impression is that FDR was pushing the United States into war out of some weird power play. Time and again his motives seem somewhat underhanded and suspect. He’s lying about the United States having to fear Germany. That he realized what would happen if Europe was lost to the Nazis is never mentioned. Nor is the fact that when it came to the war, Lindbergh was wrong, wrong, wrong.
Lindbergh pushed his agenda until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Yet he continued to believe that are entering the war was a bad idea. We didn’t need Europe and its problems. It encapsulates a way of thinking that is still strong with Americans. That we don’t need the rest of the world. That we are the best, most wonderful country in the entire history of the world. We’ve come to believe the myth we created at the country’s beginning.
It’s a well written book that, while long, was informative and a surprisingly easy read. I only wish it had been more even-handed.
( Mount TBR 2025 Book Links 1-20 )
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22. America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War by H.W. Brands
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