4/8: America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War Hardcover – September 24, 2024 by H. W. Brands (Author)
The John Batchelor Show
John Batchelor
4.5 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 6 November 2024
⏱️ 9 minutes
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Summary
https://www.amazon.com/America-First-Roosevelt-Lindbergh-Shadow/dp/0385550413
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 against foreign war as the leading spokesman the America First Committee.
While 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.
1941 FDR and First Lady
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is CBSI on the world. I'm John Batchew, Professor H.W. Brands, America First, |
| 0:09.7 | Roosevelt versus Lindberg in the shadow of war. It is now too late for France, and it might be too |
| 0:17.4 | late for Britain. This is the summer of 40 when the Hitlerites unleashed the Luftwaffe |
| 0:22.4 | to harass the British and destroy their airfields and terrorize the public, the burning of London. |
| 0:31.6 | The CBS broadcaster Murrow makes this moment forever because he broadcast from the roofs of London and he |
| 0:40.4 | watches the city burn. And at the time, it was understood that air power could not be stopped. |
| 0:46.7 | At the time, it was understood that this is the end for us. They do not have our understanding, |
| 0:52.3 | and indeed there's still controversy, whether air power is enough. |
| 0:56.2 | Here in the 21st century, the collective opinion, it is not. It is a terror weapon, but it works to terrorize the public. |
| 1:05.9 | And Lindberg again appears to be in a position of strength. He's being whined and dined. I note that at one point, |
| 1:15.0 | he and his wife have lunch or dinner with John Foster Dulles. Dulles's opinion at this point. |
| 1:21.7 | I know we're diverting, Professor, but it was a fascination. What was said at that dinner table? |
| 1:26.1 | Can you imagine? Yeah. So, Lindberg was a fascination. What was said at that dinner table, can you imagine? |
| 1:36.0 | Yeah. So Lindbergh was certainly a darling among Republicans who hoped to displace Roosevelt. |
| 1:42.6 | Now, while the Battle of Britain is going on, Franklin Roosevelt is making a historic decision to challenge the longstanding de facto rule against third |
| 1:48.1 | terms for American presidents. And he does this by typically Rooseveltian misdirection. He refuses to say |
| 1:57.9 | whether he's going to run or not. and by withholding a decision, he prevents |
| 2:02.6 | other Democrats from putting themselves forward. Roosevelt tells a couple of his supporters, |
| 2:10.1 | including James Barley, who is his postmaster general and his all-purpose political handyman, |
| 2:16.1 | and his vice president, John Nance Garner. He leads them both to believe |
| 2:21.0 | that they will get his blessing to become his successor for the 1940 campaign. But he doesn't |
| 2:28.7 | make a decision. He keeps saying, while these events overseas, they prevent us from rushing into |
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