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Hitler's American Friends: The Third Reich’s Supporters in the United States
Winner - German Studies Association Sybil Halpern Milton Book Prize, 2019
A book examining the strange terrain of Nazi sympathizers, nonintervention campaigners and other voices in America who advocated on behalf of Nazi Germany in the years before World War II.
Americans who remember World War II reminisce about how it brought the country together. The less popular truth behind this warm until the attack on Pearl Harbor, America was deeply, dangerously divided.
Bradley W. Hart's Hitler's American Friends exposes the homegrown antagonists who sought to protect and promote Hitler, leave Europeans (and especially European Jews) to fend for themselves, and elevate the Nazi regime.
Some of these friends were Americans of German heritage who joined the Bund, whose leadership dreamed of installing a stateside Führer. Some were as bizarre and hair-raising as the Silver Shirt Legion, run by an eccentric who claimed that Hitler fulfilled a religious prophesy. Some were Midwestern Catholics like Father Charles Coughlin, an early right-wing radio star who broadcast anti-Semitic tirades. They were even members of Congress who used their franking privilege―sending mail at cost to American taxpayers―to distribute German propaganda. And celebrity pilot Charles Lindbergh ended up speaking for them all at the America First Committee.
We try to tell ourselves it couldn't happen here, but Americans are not immune to the lure of fascism. Hitler's American Friends is a powerful look at how the forces of evil manipulate ordinary people, how we stepped back from the ledge, and the disturbing ease with which we could return to it.
A book examining the strange terrain of Nazi sympathizers, nonintervention campaigners and other voices in America who advocated on behalf of Nazi Germany in the years before World War II.
Americans who remember World War II reminisce about how it brought the country together. The less popular truth behind this warm until the attack on Pearl Harbor, America was deeply, dangerously divided.
Bradley W. Hart's Hitler's American Friends exposes the homegrown antagonists who sought to protect and promote Hitler, leave Europeans (and especially European Jews) to fend for themselves, and elevate the Nazi regime.
Some of these friends were Americans of German heritage who joined the Bund, whose leadership dreamed of installing a stateside Führer. Some were as bizarre and hair-raising as the Silver Shirt Legion, run by an eccentric who claimed that Hitler fulfilled a religious prophesy. Some were Midwestern Catholics like Father Charles Coughlin, an early right-wing radio star who broadcast anti-Semitic tirades. They were even members of Congress who used their franking privilege―sending mail at cost to American taxpayers―to distribute German propaganda. And celebrity pilot Charles Lindbergh ended up speaking for them all at the America First Committee.
We try to tell ourselves it couldn't happen here, but Americans are not immune to the lure of fascism. Hitler's American Friends is a powerful look at how the forces of evil manipulate ordinary people, how we stepped back from the ledge, and the disturbing ease with which we could return to it.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2018
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February 15, 2024
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: It's always been a failing of the left-wing political folk to see the Apocalypse in each and every thunderation from the Christo-Fascist Right as the ongoing battle for the USA's soul continues. There are now, there were in the 1950s, there were in the 1930s and 1940s, traitorous scum whose personal vision of a Perfect World contains only people like them, who are willing to do anything legal or not to enforce their will on the eternal majority who don't want that. In an article in The Nation , the author of the think piece I've linked to comments most saliently on the Red Scare years' school-textbook battles, book burnings, and other such performative outrage with this pithy remark:
The fact is that our country's been under some form of internal attack from fascist and/or authoritarian right-wing rabble since Day One. So has every other political structure. Let's not forget the fate of Periclean Athens. It's the eternal project of greedy, selfish control freaks to get everything they can into their own hands and to control what they can't possess.
Author Hart made a well-researched and -written alarm call against calm, resigned acceptance of the culture coup attempted during the 45th president's term in this book. He uses the well-documented and clearly overcome existence, activities, and failures of Nazi sympathizers in the US. It is an effective technique; it uses as its organizing principle a simple structure: Each chapter is dedicated to a single organization active in promoting German/Nazi interests in the US, and gives some crucial details about how and why this choice was made. It also characterizes and puts into timely context the people who made up the institution in question. This avoids a common trap in histories of zeitgeists or social movements, the dreaded alphabet soup of initialism and too-similar or too-often-repeated names. That admittedly more synthetic approach can weave a tapestry of details. It more often than that causes severe MEGO disease.
The most disturbing take-away of this entire loudly rung tocsin is that these forces of anti-democratic rage failed because they lacked a credible, powerful leader. Today's versions, it is very frightening to realize, do not suffer from that lack. It isn't that Author Hart is unaware of this, it's that he seemed to feel he shouldn't make as much of the echoes I heard in each chapter of current events as I would've preferred. There is something to be said for taking off the gloves and hitting the enemy within hard. It's something "they" do a lot of (see my review of The Obama Hate Machine ) and with a lot less factual basis than Author Hart presents.
Why this book only gets four stars from me is the quite startling number of uncorrected typos that made it from the DRC I read into the library copy I checked out. Scandalous! And, in the end, there were moments that I found myself not quite satisfied with the case the author made for some person or organization's motivation for opposing the US entry into WWII. Mixed motives are more common than pure ones on every gradation of the ideological spectrum, as (for example) morally based pacifism is present among right-wingers, too.
Perhaps the most telling thing that I noticed go underremarked was the utter ineffectuality of Hoover's FBI in going after right-wing terrorism. Red Scare propaganda against our nominal allies the Soviets was rife. How telling that is...British intelligence informed the US government better about domestic threats than Hoover's FBI.
I was still angered and unsettled and unnerved by this read. I am recommending it to all and sundry who think the Right's victory in the 2022 midterm elections is somehow inevitable. We who do not wish to have our country scourged by the hypocrites and religious nuts of this book's modern counterparts should heed Author Hart's dictum: "{U}nfortunately, the merchants of hate always seem to have someone to listen to them." Let's plug the holes in our national awareness. It can only help the side dedicated to the rights and duties of citizens against the Right's attacks on them.
My Review: It's always been a failing of the left-wing political folk to see the Apocalypse in each and every thunderation from the Christo-Fascist Right as the ongoing battle for the USA's soul continues. There are now, there were in the 1950s, there were in the 1930s and 1940s, traitorous scum whose personal vision of a Perfect World contains only people like them, who are willing to do anything legal or not to enforce their will on the eternal majority who don't want that. In an article in The Nation , the author of the think piece I've linked to comments most saliently on the Red Scare years' school-textbook battles, book burnings, and other such performative outrage with this pithy remark:
Most Americans don’t think that proponents of critical race theory are secretly spreading “Marxism” in the schools, either, or that woke corporations are somehow supporting the same evil project. The people who make such claims are a small minority, just as they were in the 1950s.
The fact is that our country's been under some form of internal attack from fascist and/or authoritarian right-wing rabble since Day One. So has every other political structure. Let's not forget the fate of Periclean Athens. It's the eternal project of greedy, selfish control freaks to get everything they can into their own hands and to control what they can't possess.
Author Hart made a well-researched and -written alarm call against calm, resigned acceptance of the culture coup attempted during the 45th president's term in this book. He uses the well-documented and clearly overcome existence, activities, and failures of Nazi sympathizers in the US. It is an effective technique; it uses as its organizing principle a simple structure: Each chapter is dedicated to a single organization active in promoting German/Nazi interests in the US, and gives some crucial details about how and why this choice was made. It also characterizes and puts into timely context the people who made up the institution in question. This avoids a common trap in histories of zeitgeists or social movements, the dreaded alphabet soup of initialism and too-similar or too-often-repeated names. That admittedly more synthetic approach can weave a tapestry of details. It more often than that causes severe MEGO disease.
The most disturbing take-away of this entire loudly rung tocsin is that these forces of anti-democratic rage failed because they lacked a credible, powerful leader. Today's versions, it is very frightening to realize, do not suffer from that lack. It isn't that Author Hart is unaware of this, it's that he seemed to feel he shouldn't make as much of the echoes I heard in each chapter of current events as I would've preferred. There is something to be said for taking off the gloves and hitting the enemy within hard. It's something "they" do a lot of (see my review of The Obama Hate Machine ) and with a lot less factual basis than Author Hart presents.
Why this book only gets four stars from me is the quite startling number of uncorrected typos that made it from the DRC I read into the library copy I checked out. Scandalous! And, in the end, there were moments that I found myself not quite satisfied with the case the author made for some person or organization's motivation for opposing the US entry into WWII. Mixed motives are more common than pure ones on every gradation of the ideological spectrum, as (for example) morally based pacifism is present among right-wingers, too.
Perhaps the most telling thing that I noticed go underremarked was the utter ineffectuality of Hoover's FBI in going after right-wing terrorism. Red Scare propaganda against our nominal allies the Soviets was rife. How telling that is...British intelligence informed the US government better about domestic threats than Hoover's FBI.
I was still angered and unsettled and unnerved by this read. I am recommending it to all and sundry who think the Right's victory in the 2022 midterm elections is somehow inevitable. We who do not wish to have our country scourged by the hypocrites and religious nuts of this book's modern counterparts should heed Author Hart's dictum: "{U}nfortunately, the merchants of hate always seem to have someone to listen to them." Let's plug the holes in our national awareness. It can only help the side dedicated to the rights and duties of citizens against the Right's attacks on them.
October 2, 2018
Wow, this was an incredibly enlightening piece on those who sympathised with Adolf Hitler both before and during the Second World War, these include politicians, businesses (Coca-Cola, Ford & General Motors), celebrities (Charles Lindberg) and even university campuses wanted to cultivate Nazi feeling. This is not a new idea, and it has been known for many decades that there were hardcore supporters of the Nazi's and their dangerous and deadly anti-semitism, who were American citizens. Although these are not new revelations, it is evident that Professor Hart has carried out meticulous research into this particular topic in an effort to bring the truth to the masses. He also states that this book comprises primarily recently declassified information, so a substantial portion of this work has never before featured in a publication. Prof. Hart is considered an expert on the intricacies of the Nazi's and associated topics with this being his third such book published.
I imagine that much of this information will reveal a sinister and rather unsavoury side of America to people mostly unaware of it, but I always appreciate those that strive to bring this important information to the mainstream population and the public consciousness. This certainly could've been a dry and tedious discussion, however, Hart writes a a comulsively readable style that is accessible and in-depth, but manages to avoid the cardinal sin of overwhelming his audience by way of one huge information dump. This will no doubt be shocking to a lot of people, but we must always remember things are never as they seem at the time, and it's only through works such as this that we discover the relatively unknown part of the lead up to WWII.
Highly recommended to those interested in the Nazi war machine, WWII and 20th-century politics. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting read, and I thank the author for taking the time to compile such an exceptional study.
Many thanks to Thomas Dunne Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I imagine that much of this information will reveal a sinister and rather unsavoury side of America to people mostly unaware of it, but I always appreciate those that strive to bring this important information to the mainstream population and the public consciousness. This certainly could've been a dry and tedious discussion, however, Hart writes a a comulsively readable style that is accessible and in-depth, but manages to avoid the cardinal sin of overwhelming his audience by way of one huge information dump. This will no doubt be shocking to a lot of people, but we must always remember things are never as they seem at the time, and it's only through works such as this that we discover the relatively unknown part of the lead up to WWII.
Highly recommended to those interested in the Nazi war machine, WWII and 20th-century politics. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting read, and I thank the author for taking the time to compile such an exceptional study.
Many thanks to Thomas Dunne Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
January 10, 2021
Considering the tension and controversy of the present time, I decided to read this book about another controversial time right before America's entry into WWII. This detailed book deals with those who tried to keep the U.S. out of WWII, both for good reasons and more to the point--those who wanted to aid America's enemies. 'Hitler's American Friends' contains many well known names such as Lindbergh, Wheeler, Hamilton Fish and Father Coughlin, but most of those discussed have long been forgotten along with their organizations such as German American Bund, the Silver Legion, and probably the best known, 'America First', especially after Charles Lindbergh became their premier spokesperson.
Industrialists such as car manufacturers and even Coca-Cola, tried to profit by investing in Hitler's Germany. Students and teachers also tried to join in, some to thwart communism; others were attracted to the supposed success of Hitler's plans for a New Germany. Spies were recruited, not always successfully since they paid with their lives. Money flowed generously encouraging 'agents' to do something. Much of their service achieved little since the FBI and other agencies were able identify the 'bad guys' and keep them under control.
This book is interesting and informative, reminding us that our democracy is fragile, and that there always seems to be those out there who want to destroy it. As the author says, "And, unfortunately, the merchants of hate always seem to have someone to listen to them." AMEN!
Industrialists such as car manufacturers and even Coca-Cola, tried to profit by investing in Hitler's Germany. Students and teachers also tried to join in, some to thwart communism; others were attracted to the supposed success of Hitler's plans for a New Germany. Spies were recruited, not always successfully since they paid with their lives. Money flowed generously encouraging 'agents' to do something. Much of their service achieved little since the FBI and other agencies were able identify the 'bad guys' and keep them under control.
This book is interesting and informative, reminding us that our democracy is fragile, and that there always seems to be those out there who want to destroy it. As the author says, "And, unfortunately, the merchants of hate always seem to have someone to listen to them." AMEN!
January 18, 2024
A really interesting exposé of the strong support for Hitler amongst many Americans before Pearl Harbour. Although non fiction, it is a thrilling read but also disturbing, especially as it demonstrates fascism has found widespread support in the USA before.
The book describes how Henry Ford distributed anti-semitic leaflets via his showrooms, and Charles Lindbergh was a big admirer of the Nazis. In his own words: “Their [ the Jews] -greatest danger to this country lies in their large ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio, and our government.” It reminds us how scapegoating the Jews back then is similar to populism today which blames immigrants and others for the flatlining/decline in many people’s living standards, rather than the ever increasing concentration of wealth in the top one percent.
Many Nazi radio personalities had huge audiences at a time when radio was the equivalent of TV, Twitter, and Facebook combined.
Several senators used their free mail privileges to mail out Nazi propaganda, and 'America First' - of which future Presidents JFK and Gerald Ford were members - tried to stop America joining the war.
Hitler even interfered in the 1940 Presidential election, channelling several million dollars to those opposing Roosevelt, just like Putin interfered in 2016 and 2020, and will doubtless do so again this year.
British spies gathered intelligence about what was going on and passed it on to the US government. The FBI seemed incapable of doing so or perhaps their sympathies lay with Germany? However, joining another European centred war wasn’t a vote winner so Roosevelt had to find ways to help Britain that maintained America’s neutrality in the conflict until Pearl Harbour effectively silenced those with Nazi sympathies.
The book describes how Henry Ford distributed anti-semitic leaflets via his showrooms, and Charles Lindbergh was a big admirer of the Nazis. In his own words: “Their [ the Jews] -greatest danger to this country lies in their large ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio, and our government.” It reminds us how scapegoating the Jews back then is similar to populism today which blames immigrants and others for the flatlining/decline in many people’s living standards, rather than the ever increasing concentration of wealth in the top one percent.
Many Nazi radio personalities had huge audiences at a time when radio was the equivalent of TV, Twitter, and Facebook combined.
Several senators used their free mail privileges to mail out Nazi propaganda, and 'America First' - of which future Presidents JFK and Gerald Ford were members - tried to stop America joining the war.
Hitler even interfered in the 1940 Presidential election, channelling several million dollars to those opposing Roosevelt, just like Putin interfered in 2016 and 2020, and will doubtless do so again this year.
British spies gathered intelligence about what was going on and passed it on to the US government. The FBI seemed incapable of doing so or perhaps their sympathies lay with Germany? However, joining another European centred war wasn’t a vote winner so Roosevelt had to find ways to help Britain that maintained America’s neutrality in the conflict until Pearl Harbour effectively silenced those with Nazi sympathies.
March 12, 2023
For anyone who thinks about the history of the United States in the l930’s on the eve of World War II, Charles Lindbergh probably comes to mind as the most famous proponent of staying out of the war with Germany. But there were many other supporters of this view. There were the “America First” isolationists, as well as anti-communists and anti-semites who were convinced that a conflict with Hitler’s Nazi regime was a mistake.
Hart makes it clear that there were strong appeals to fear and prejudice which in hindsight we can say only appealed to a minority, but at the time there was no guarantee that these appeals wouldn’t become a majority. In his introduction, the author points out that “if nothing else, the example posed by Hitler’s friends should remind us that the maintenance of a free, liberal, and democratic society requires diligence. . . Hitler’s friends would go down to unequivocal defeat, yet, for a brief period it appeared that the American flag and the swastika might well end up flying side by side.”
The book is divided into eight chapters, the first three concentrating on organizations such the “Bund” the “Silver Legion” and the religious right, made influential by the radio preaching of a Detroit Catholic priest, Charles Coughlin. The Bund was a lose umbrella organization which included German Americans and German nationals living in the United States and had vague plans to reorganize the country as Hitler had done in Germany. Mostly, though, it was inept and was seen by Hitler to be a sort of embarassment.
The Silver Legion was better oganized and its biggest difference from the Bund was that it was more religiously oriented and proposed a Christian Commonwealth , neither fascist, communist, or capitalist, One of its ideas was to have all property held by the government with guaranteed annual incomes for everyone. Not surprisingly, it held that Jews were the chief obstacle to this scheme. Internal squabbling over money and authority doomed this basically ramshackle organization.
Fr. Couglin had millions of listeners for his radio broadcasts of the 30’s in which he defended Nazi Germany policies toward the Jews, and insisted that Nazi Germany should be seen as a bulwark against godless communism. As well, he was against all of Roosevelt’s New Deal policies. Economic elites, politicians, and Jews were all a part of the problem.
The other chapters deal more with individuals who were more main stream culturally and politically, but still shared some ot thee views. There were senators, names mostly forgotten today but influential in their time, businessmen (such as Henry Ford), students, and America Firsters who insisted they weren’t ideologues, only patriotic Americans who wanted to save the lives of young Americans in an unnecessary war with Hitler. Finally, there were German spies in the United States, not too effective, largely because of close FBI surveillance.
The American political system survived, but it’s Hart’s contention that had the far right found its American Fuhrer it could well have turned out differently. It’s possible to find modern parallels nearly a hundred years later, so the book is an instructive use of history.
Hart makes it clear that there were strong appeals to fear and prejudice which in hindsight we can say only appealed to a minority, but at the time there was no guarantee that these appeals wouldn’t become a majority. In his introduction, the author points out that “if nothing else, the example posed by Hitler’s friends should remind us that the maintenance of a free, liberal, and democratic society requires diligence. . . Hitler’s friends would go down to unequivocal defeat, yet, for a brief period it appeared that the American flag and the swastika might well end up flying side by side.”
The book is divided into eight chapters, the first three concentrating on organizations such the “Bund” the “Silver Legion” and the religious right, made influential by the radio preaching of a Detroit Catholic priest, Charles Coughlin. The Bund was a lose umbrella organization which included German Americans and German nationals living in the United States and had vague plans to reorganize the country as Hitler had done in Germany. Mostly, though, it was inept and was seen by Hitler to be a sort of embarassment.
The Silver Legion was better oganized and its biggest difference from the Bund was that it was more religiously oriented and proposed a Christian Commonwealth , neither fascist, communist, or capitalist, One of its ideas was to have all property held by the government with guaranteed annual incomes for everyone. Not surprisingly, it held that Jews were the chief obstacle to this scheme. Internal squabbling over money and authority doomed this basically ramshackle organization.
Fr. Couglin had millions of listeners for his radio broadcasts of the 30’s in which he defended Nazi Germany policies toward the Jews, and insisted that Nazi Germany should be seen as a bulwark against godless communism. As well, he was against all of Roosevelt’s New Deal policies. Economic elites, politicians, and Jews were all a part of the problem.
The other chapters deal more with individuals who were more main stream culturally and politically, but still shared some ot thee views. There were senators, names mostly forgotten today but influential in their time, businessmen (such as Henry Ford), students, and America Firsters who insisted they weren’t ideologues, only patriotic Americans who wanted to save the lives of young Americans in an unnecessary war with Hitler. Finally, there were German spies in the United States, not too effective, largely because of close FBI surveillance.
The American political system survived, but it’s Hart’s contention that had the far right found its American Fuhrer it could well have turned out differently. It’s possible to find modern parallels nearly a hundred years later, so the book is an instructive use of history.
April 14, 2020
Less a historical narrative than a guidebook to the different parties that found themselves either directly or indirectly aligned with Hitler in the United States during the years before Pearl Harbor. I've been searching for a straightforward history of Charles Lindbergh and the America First movement and the two dozen or so pages about that in this book offered a little bit of background, though not nearly as much as I was hoping for. The rest of the book amounts to what you'd expect if you already had a rough familiarity with this subject: there were some American cranks, opportunists and spies who were aligned with Hitler, as well as a not-insignificant number of German-Americans who were part of the later notorious Bund organization. Genuine Nazis never amounted to a significant force in American politics.
The American supporters of Hitler were motivated by a variety of causes. Some were genuinely in sympathy with Nazi ideology, others had business ties in Germany that they were seeking to defend and still others were immigrants with residual nationalist sympathies for Germany. A significant number of Americans were simply looking to avoid another European war after the debacle of World War I, seen by many as a pointless European conflict that Americans had been dragged into. At the time this might have been a sensible position but by the time Pearl Harbor occurred the isolationists were utterly discredited. Lindberg's own reputation ran aground after this debacle, as well as his increasingly open anti-Semitic statements which looked particularly horrible after the revelation of the Holocaust.
This is still not the definitive history of America First that I was looking for but it had a few interesting notes. It would be nice to find a history of this period that was not overtly ideological.
The American supporters of Hitler were motivated by a variety of causes. Some were genuinely in sympathy with Nazi ideology, others had business ties in Germany that they were seeking to defend and still others were immigrants with residual nationalist sympathies for Germany. A significant number of Americans were simply looking to avoid another European war after the debacle of World War I, seen by many as a pointless European conflict that Americans had been dragged into. At the time this might have been a sensible position but by the time Pearl Harbor occurred the isolationists were utterly discredited. Lindberg's own reputation ran aground after this debacle, as well as his increasingly open anti-Semitic statements which looked particularly horrible after the revelation of the Holocaust.
This is still not the definitive history of America First that I was looking for but it had a few interesting notes. It would be nice to find a history of this period that was not overtly ideological.
March 4, 2022
I waited a few days to write a review on this book because I wanted time to process what I read and use a clear mind. I was a bit disappointed with this book. I love All Things WWII and was certainly interested in learning about Hitler's propaganda campaign in the US during this time (as I assumed the title suggested). However, I felt that the author had an underlying agenda of his own throughout the book, and frankly, it felt a tad...well, creepy. I'll expound.
First of all, I found the book to be dreadfully boring through sections and I link this to the way it was written. To ME (and this is just my opinion), the book read like a high school text book: loads of information and facts, but just crammed in there, like a thick heavy oatmeal that you choke down for breakfast. There was no 'flow' to the information coming at you, to read more 'story-like' instead of text book. Every chapter read the same way, STARTING with the finishing point of the author, only to be taken to a 'Pre-time' and then worked back to Brad Hart's original start for the chapter. EVERY chapter read this way. There was just so much information that the links seemed to be clumsy and as a reader, I found my self looking 'in the rear-view mirror' a few times trying to figure out where I just came from. When a book feels like homework (and I am well past those years...lol), it becomes more of a TASK than enjoyment, and that was disappointing.
As I stated earlier, while I did enjoy most of the information that Brad Hart presented, and was certainly intrigued by the concepts presented, I couldn't shake the feeling of the 'hidden agenda'. And then I found it in the Chapter on the America First Committee. Now, let me preface this by stating that I had NO political ambitions for this book, but simply sought to add to my interest in World War Two history. But the author, Brad Hart, really seemed to have this desire to link this group (and several others mentioned in the book) to the Trump rallies. I don't care if you voted for the man or not, love him or despise him, linking his rallies to some deep-seeded Nazi sympathizers from the 1930's is repugnant and frankly a stretch.
The problem I had with many of Mr. Hart's conclusions about several of these groups and especially the America First Committee was that many of these groups started out basically as anti-war groups, NOT Nazi sympathizer groups. There were a lot of people at this time that did not want the U.S. to jump into this war in Europe, especially so soon after WWI. Many Americans rejected the idea of getting involved in the Iraq war and Afghanistan, but I certainly don't see ANY link to Nazi-ism. NOW, that doesn't mean that Hitler didn't see opportunity in infiltrating these groups to push the Reich propaganda, but as the reader sees in Hart's research, this often led to the demise of the group.
There was also resistance to FDR's New Deal and domestic policies, along with resistance to entering the war, but simply disagreeing with a political opponent does not make you a Nazi (though that sentiment seems to have been carried on into our present-day politics). Hart mentions this, very briefly and subtly, but it is pointed out. This is seen by the treatment and opinion of Charles Lindbergh. Once celebrated as an American hero, as soon as he opposed to joining the war, he was 'suspected' of being a Nazi sympathizer and the information presented in this book is quite circumstantial at best. If there was any truth in this (and it's quite possible he might have been), I didn't find concrete evidence here.
The problem I had with much of the research is that many (if not most) of the footnotes referenced newspaper or magazine articles. I wouldn't take issue with this if the reference was in regards to a direct quote from the "suspected" individual or a factual incident. However, most of the footnotes just highlighted the articles themselves, which is just accepting the journalist's opinions or conclusions as fact, and THAT is not credible to me. Just because someone writes a story in a newspaper and then hypothesizes a conclusion, doesn't mean that it is fact. I generally seek the information from footnotes, but was discouraged by Mr. Hart's resources. Don't get me wrong, there were many well researched facts. They just seemed to get lost or diluted by the 'conjecture'.
I did manage to wade through this book, even though it became a tedious venture, mainly because of the writing style. I was looking for another 'piece to the puzzle' of WWII history, but the subtle left-leaning opinions left a sour taste in my mouth. Many of the theories seemed 'forced' and that is a No-no in my eyes, especially when the book is a dull read. Two stars awarded because there WAS some great information and interesting parts, but not enough to grab another star. Just my 2 cents.
First of all, I found the book to be dreadfully boring through sections and I link this to the way it was written. To ME (and this is just my opinion), the book read like a high school text book: loads of information and facts, but just crammed in there, like a thick heavy oatmeal that you choke down for breakfast. There was no 'flow' to the information coming at you, to read more 'story-like' instead of text book. Every chapter read the same way, STARTING with the finishing point of the author, only to be taken to a 'Pre-time' and then worked back to Brad Hart's original start for the chapter. EVERY chapter read this way. There was just so much information that the links seemed to be clumsy and as a reader, I found my self looking 'in the rear-view mirror' a few times trying to figure out where I just came from. When a book feels like homework (and I am well past those years...lol), it becomes more of a TASK than enjoyment, and that was disappointing.
As I stated earlier, while I did enjoy most of the information that Brad Hart presented, and was certainly intrigued by the concepts presented, I couldn't shake the feeling of the 'hidden agenda'. And then I found it in the Chapter on the America First Committee. Now, let me preface this by stating that I had NO political ambitions for this book, but simply sought to add to my interest in World War Two history. But the author, Brad Hart, really seemed to have this desire to link this group (and several others mentioned in the book) to the Trump rallies. I don't care if you voted for the man or not, love him or despise him, linking his rallies to some deep-seeded Nazi sympathizers from the 1930's is repugnant and frankly a stretch.
The problem I had with many of Mr. Hart's conclusions about several of these groups and especially the America First Committee was that many of these groups started out basically as anti-war groups, NOT Nazi sympathizer groups. There were a lot of people at this time that did not want the U.S. to jump into this war in Europe, especially so soon after WWI. Many Americans rejected the idea of getting involved in the Iraq war and Afghanistan, but I certainly don't see ANY link to Nazi-ism. NOW, that doesn't mean that Hitler didn't see opportunity in infiltrating these groups to push the Reich propaganda, but as the reader sees in Hart's research, this often led to the demise of the group.
There was also resistance to FDR's New Deal and domestic policies, along with resistance to entering the war, but simply disagreeing with a political opponent does not make you a Nazi (though that sentiment seems to have been carried on into our present-day politics). Hart mentions this, very briefly and subtly, but it is pointed out. This is seen by the treatment and opinion of Charles Lindbergh. Once celebrated as an American hero, as soon as he opposed to joining the war, he was 'suspected' of being a Nazi sympathizer and the information presented in this book is quite circumstantial at best. If there was any truth in this (and it's quite possible he might have been), I didn't find concrete evidence here.
The problem I had with much of the research is that many (if not most) of the footnotes referenced newspaper or magazine articles. I wouldn't take issue with this if the reference was in regards to a direct quote from the "suspected" individual or a factual incident. However, most of the footnotes just highlighted the articles themselves, which is just accepting the journalist's opinions or conclusions as fact, and THAT is not credible to me. Just because someone writes a story in a newspaper and then hypothesizes a conclusion, doesn't mean that it is fact. I generally seek the information from footnotes, but was discouraged by Mr. Hart's resources. Don't get me wrong, there were many well researched facts. They just seemed to get lost or diluted by the 'conjecture'.
I did manage to wade through this book, even though it became a tedious venture, mainly because of the writing style. I was looking for another 'piece to the puzzle' of WWII history, but the subtle left-leaning opinions left a sour taste in my mouth. Many of the theories seemed 'forced' and that is a No-no in my eyes, especially when the book is a dull read. Two stars awarded because there WAS some great information and interesting parts, but not enough to grab another star. Just my 2 cents.
September 22, 2018
This book is composed of seven chapters with each concentrating on a specific group (Amereica First, Politicians, The Bund, etc.). I have some knowledge of Nazi sympathizers in the United States leading up to and during World War II, but as promised by he author there is substantial new material that I was not aware of occuring during this time period. The book is well documented and the author's writing style makes it easy to follow. I appreciate his devoting a single chapter to each group rather than bouncing around between groups which I have run across in the past with other history based books. The author was also able to present the material without moralizing the subject which I also appreciated.
I recommend this book for anyone with an interest in the events leading up to and during World War II in the United States.
I received a free Kindle copy of Hitler's American Friends by BradleyW. Hart courtesy of Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazonand my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.
I requested this book as the description interested me and I have read a great deal about World War II, but not on this subject. This is the first book I have read by the author.
I recommend this book for anyone with an interest in the events leading up to and during World War II in the United States.
I received a free Kindle copy of Hitler's American Friends by BradleyW. Hart courtesy of Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, the publisher. It was with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazonand my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus pages.
I requested this book as the description interested me and I have read a great deal about World War II, but not on this subject. This is the first book I have read by the author.
December 3, 2023
Best book on the subject I've found
2 things I LOVE about this book is this guy sites his sources, and he puts the TL;DR on the first page.
Well researched from source material not just other books, and written in easy to understand language. Bradley W. Hart does not sensationalize this subject. in fact he debunks several myths that would have made this book more explosive.
There is a ton of stuff in this book and a great deal of it is shocking.
I knew, or thought I knew about a third of this But it turns out I was misinformed about a lot of it.
-NO Lindbergh was not a technical consultant for the luftwaffe
-YES Henry Ford was personal friends with Hitler and sent him birthday presents throughout the war
-YES there was a pro-Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden NYC, but it was the last desperate stunt of a collapsing organization that was already bankrupt beyond saving
-NO there was not a network of Nazi spies being directed from Berlin during the war, sadly a lot of the spies were Americans who identified with the Nazis and wanted to help. There had been spies Before the war and Hover didn't want to mess with them
-NO the FBI was not all over the Nazi collaborators until British intelligence exposed them to the press. Then like now law enforcement doesn't see any threat in right wing extremists.
The biggest shock in this book? How many U.S. Congressmen were Nazi collaborators. Not just sympathizers but honest to god collaborators.
2 things I LOVE about this book is this guy sites his sources, and he puts the TL;DR on the first page.
Well researched from source material not just other books, and written in easy to understand language. Bradley W. Hart does not sensationalize this subject. in fact he debunks several myths that would have made this book more explosive.
There is a ton of stuff in this book and a great deal of it is shocking.
I knew, or thought I knew about a third of this But it turns out I was misinformed about a lot of it.
-NO Lindbergh was not a technical consultant for the luftwaffe
-YES Henry Ford was personal friends with Hitler and sent him birthday presents throughout the war
-YES there was a pro-Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden NYC, but it was the last desperate stunt of a collapsing organization that was already bankrupt beyond saving
-NO there was not a network of Nazi spies being directed from Berlin during the war, sadly a lot of the spies were Americans who identified with the Nazis and wanted to help. There had been spies Before the war and Hover didn't want to mess with them
-NO the FBI was not all over the Nazi collaborators until British intelligence exposed them to the press. Then like now law enforcement doesn't see any threat in right wing extremists.
The biggest shock in this book? How many U.S. Congressmen were Nazi collaborators. Not just sympathizers but honest to god collaborators.
April 23, 2023
This book might as well be titled: Republicans BAD & SCARY, Democrats PURE & GOOD
Every chapter of this putrid excuse for a book compares conservatives to Nazis and liberals to the Protectors of Mankind in a roundabout way that made me physically sick. The author continually draws parallels to Trump supporters and nazis. Shame on the author for being a mouthpiece to a terribly reductive narrative that serves no purpose other than to divide. The author repeatedly failed to mention the numerous democrats who were pro-nazi/isolationist in the years leading up to WWII and what scant references there are, are minimized and sandwiched between palpable vituperation for conservative politicians. Next time you want to peddle your socialist left wing propaganda bullshit, don’t do it under the auspices of a genuine history piece and waste the time of readers who are passionate students of the subject.
Every chapter of this putrid excuse for a book compares conservatives to Nazis and liberals to the Protectors of Mankind in a roundabout way that made me physically sick. The author continually draws parallels to Trump supporters and nazis. Shame on the author for being a mouthpiece to a terribly reductive narrative that serves no purpose other than to divide. The author repeatedly failed to mention the numerous democrats who were pro-nazi/isolationist in the years leading up to WWII and what scant references there are, are minimized and sandwiched between palpable vituperation for conservative politicians. Next time you want to peddle your socialist left wing propaganda bullshit, don’t do it under the auspices of a genuine history piece and waste the time of readers who are passionate students of the subject.
November 3, 2019
Good overview of the various far-right groups and leaders in 1940s America. Hart focuses primarily on those active during and immediately before the outbreak of WWII; while this elides some figures and groups, it's nonetheless impressively inclusive. He sketches prospective American fuhrers like Father Coughlin and his paramilitary Christian Front, Fritz Kuhn of the German-American Bund, Gerald Winrod (the "Jayhawk Nazi") and the novelist-turned-Silver Shirt founder William Dudley Pelley, whose rantings read like Scientology mated to fascism. There are also more general chapters on businessmen who collaborated with Hitler, Nazi attempts at influence-peddling in Congress, fascist sympathizers in academia and the America First movement opposing American entry into WWII. Hart shows that these groups, far from being unimportant fringes, represented a strong and very real movement in the country, with hundreds of thousands of followers between them, and a very real, very scary agenda for subverting democracy. What they lacked was a leader, a Hitler or Mussolini-style demagogue powerful enough to draw them together; only Coughlin achieved a truly national following, and his Catholicism and hysterical Jew-baiting ultimately limited his audience. This book reminded me strongly of Charles Higham's old volume American Swastika, only without Higham's tendency to overreach and draw flimsy connections. Instead, it's a palpable lesson in history that's politely overlooked; and whose lessons for 2019, Hart makes plain, are unmistakable.
September 30, 2024
The accounts of Nazi supporters in big business, German Americans and American fascist circles is quite interesting and seems pretty well researched. However the totally ahistorical analysis from the author in early chapters that nazism is incompatible with so-called 'American values' was just that, ahistorical.
The author fails to even mention once never mind analyze how American manifest destiny was a major inspiration and a blueprint for the Nazi Lebensraum and expansion eastward. Even a simple analysis of manifest destiny would in part explain the appeal of nazism to certain American circles. The failure to even mention manifest destiny once in the entire book is just something that can't be ignored.
The author fails to even mention once never mind analyze how American manifest destiny was a major inspiration and a blueprint for the Nazi Lebensraum and expansion eastward. Even a simple analysis of manifest destiny would in part explain the appeal of nazism to certain American circles. The failure to even mention manifest destiny once in the entire book is just something that can't be ignored.
November 3, 2023
I'm a bit conflicted about the book. There was a lot of interesting stuff here, but I was still left a bit wanting. The chapters on the different groups ended up focusing a lot on individual men. I guess I wanted to know more about the groups, the rank and file members, and the things they believed/did/hoped to achieve. It was helpful to learn what happened to the leaders after the war, but what about the regular people who joined the group? How did they adjust? How did their beliefs and actions affect our country?
July 28, 2018
A very good book, marred in ways that perhaps deserve a mention, but not enough to force it to be seriously downgraded. If like me you knew nothing of American university campuses' efforts to inspire Nazi feeling in the 1930s, nothing of Charles Lindberg being found out as an anti-Semite, and nothing at all of Fanta's derivation as a result of the machinations of war, this is the book for you. Yes, I knew America held some feeling for Little Ol' Adolf – a certain car manufacturer was certainly working along the same Jew-bashing lines – but this on the whole contained very much a new story. In perfectly reasonable 30pp chunks we get different looks at aspects of the times, and whether it be the USA's own Nazi groups, influencers on Capitol Hill or downright Nazi spies, they all have their own section of the narrative. But the flaws come in here – while the book has one narrative, the chapters have their own individual ones, which would make it repetitive enough; unfortunately what I call micro-repetitions are prevalent in every chapter, so we find certain facts drummed in too much, in introduction, in the flow, and in summary. Likewise, I swear I have read biographies of people who namecheck the titular subject less commonly than this book regularly uses a variant on the phrase 'Hitler's American friends'. They're never sympathisers, potential collaborators, or any other turn of phrase – always 'American friends'.
That would be seen to cheapen and diminish a sterling academic work, but I can't rip shreds in this, for it's a mighty book. To repeat (ha, ha), a lot was new to me, and the author claims to have concentrated on new, and newly-declassified, sources for much of his history. This then is going to be perfect for many an academic – copious notes and bibliography, and I dare say a full index that was still forthcoming in my ARC. Despite the aforementioned, this was inherently readable, and – in taking an aside to something very much of personal interest I hadn't really considered and certainly hadn't read about – was right up my Strasse. If you know of a better book on this subject I'd like to hear about it; I can only place this top of a very small pile. Four and a half stars.
That would be seen to cheapen and diminish a sterling academic work, but I can't rip shreds in this, for it's a mighty book. To repeat (ha, ha), a lot was new to me, and the author claims to have concentrated on new, and newly-declassified, sources for much of his history. This then is going to be perfect for many an academic – copious notes and bibliography, and I dare say a full index that was still forthcoming in my ARC. Despite the aforementioned, this was inherently readable, and – in taking an aside to something very much of personal interest I hadn't really considered and certainly hadn't read about – was right up my Strasse. If you know of a better book on this subject I'd like to hear about it; I can only place this top of a very small pile. Four and a half stars.
November 28, 2025
This book was four (or perhaps five) too early.
During the first Trump Administration it was popular for Leftists to insist the president was a Fascist. In all fairness, this has been the favorite line of Leftists under any Conservative presidential administration in living memory, so it wasn't as though it was new or sensational. However, Donald Trump (perhaps unwittingly) threw these Leftists a bone by using a slogan that happened to be the name of an organization from the 1930's and early '40's which Adolf Hitler considered the most promising candidate for the basis of American Fascism: "America First." This, the oft-made comparison between Donald Trump's "MAGA" movement and Charles Lindbergh's society dedicated to keeping America out of World War 2, was what Bradley Hart was going for in 2018 when he wrote this book. It's a thesis which is barely ever addressed in this book.
Ironically, though the point the author set out to make never gets adequately made, a larger and more salient point (which he didn't even know needed to be made yet) became crystal clear in the aftermath of 2022.
The book's account of the precursors to World war 2 begins on an interestingly symbolic date: September 11, 1941. Thus, the theme of "echoes of World War 2 in the twenty-first century" hits the reader like a two-by-four in the very first line. This was the night when Charles Lindbergh, the famed pilot of the "Spirit of St. Louis" who would later use his celebrity status to launch himself into politics as the darling of the American Far Right by taking the helm of an isolationist movement (and if you missed the Trump comparison, don't worry; the author's going to hit you in the face with ham-fisted reiterations of it again and again for the next twenty pages) went off-script and openly confessed that he wasn't so much "anti-war" as "anti-Zionist," which has always been a dog-whistle for "anti-Jewish."
This becomes the launch pad for a book that highlights many of the leading voices in the isolationist movement leading up to World War 2 (a few celebrities, the German diaspora, conspiracy theorists, the religious Right, and the academic complex) and compares them rather handily to the present day. Some of these groups were openly in the pocket of the Hitler regime, and some had no idea that the German government was quietly backing them because their goals of keeping America out of the war dovetailed nicely with Hitler's goal of isolating Britain.
And if I'd read this book during the Administration it was aimed at lampooning, I'd have found it hilariously desperate. The author's intended goal was to make the reader think "Lindbergh hated Jews like Trump hates Jihadis... Lindbergh was disgusted with the British like Trump is disgusted with NATO... Lindbergh accused Roosevelt (quite accurately, if you really want to know) of being a Socialist, just like Trump accused Obama (also quite rightly) of being a Socialist... Trump is an unwitting puppet of fascists, just like Lindbergh was." On this point, he hilariously fails. He could not have had a clue, writing this book in 2018, that its primary relevance would not become apparent until after the president he was aiming it at was already out of office. Have a look at a few lines.
"Providing aid to Britain - the last Western European country still fighting the Germans - would simply detract from building the country's defenses. This was the standard isolationist position before Pearl Harbor: let the Europeans fight their own conflicts and make sure America was sufficiently prepared to stay out of them."
...
"No doubt he was partially inspired by the Roosevelt Administration's Lend-Lease policy, which had made it through Congress earlier in the year and allowed the president to provide military vehicles, aircraft and munitions to the ailing Allies."
-page 2
By the second page, the author has already drawn clear comparisons between the 1930's struggle to overcome the Far-Right's recalcitrance and get America into the fight against Hitler's Nazis, and the 2020's struggle to overcome the Far-Right's recalcitrance and get America into the fight against Putin's Neo-Nazis. And of course, this theme (which I remind you was not even there to be made when the book was written) runs through the entire book.
"There were, [Lindbergh] concluded, three groups that had conspired to draw the country into the conflict: the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt administration."
-page 2
"Allegations of Jewish control over the film industry were commonplace at these gatherings, and speakers expressed the Bund's determination to rid the picture industry of them."
-Page 40
Replace "Jewish" with the less-than-subtle anti-Jewish code word, "Zionists," "the British" with the words "Ukrainian Lobbyists," and the name "Roosevelt" with "Biden" and it becomes indistinguishable from virtually every post made by isolationist conspiracy theorists. Later on in Chapter 3 (entitled "The Religious Right") the author points out how some pro-German preachers, such as Father Coughlin of Detroit, even claimed Hitler was "fighting to defend Christianity," using the exact same words Marjorie Taylor Greene used to describe Putin's campaign. Chapter 4 ("The Senators") shines light on the number of Senators who built their election campaigns off of an appeal to the isolationist Right, leading to campaign slogans that sounded like they were written in Berlin, just as many of today's MAGA criers sound like their platforms were written in Moscow.
But the main theme, and the one that didn't even have contemporary relevance when the book was written, was the constant parallelism between the Germany lobby's "don't get involved in a war on Britain's behalf" message and the Russonazi lobby's "don't get involved in a war on Ukraine's behalf" message.
For instance, "Hitler is only trying to regain Germany's former colonies," the claim by a German student at Stanford in 1940, found on page 151, is just like the claim that Russia is "just regaining what's actually theirs by enslaving Ukraine," a claim echoed by the openly professed "Anti-Zionists" (read 'Hitler-esque Jew haters who haven't got the guts to admit that they hate Jews so they substitute a code-word for Jews).
And then of course, there is a quick summary on page 7 of Germany's propaganda playbook in the years leading up to World War 2. If you read it and replace "England" with "Ukraine," it begins to sound like anything Tucker Carlson or Marjorie taylor-Green have said in the past three years.
And of course, page 163 addresses the elephant in the room, namely, that most on the Far-Right didn't even have a platform other than "FDR is for Britain, and I'm against FDR, so I'm for Germany," much the same way much of today's Right doesn't have a platform other than "Biden is for Ukraine, and I'm against Biden, so I'm for Russia!"
So let's recap: A genocidal madman is waging war in Europe, against a country that has no clear treaty with America, and a Far-Left president who hasn't done much else right in his administration manages to see sense for once, and sees (albeit belatedly) that America needs to support the war effort against said madman. Meanwhile, this Leftist president's opponents (the GOP) have a number within their ranks who are so desperate to remove the Leftist president from office that they side with the genocidal madman instead, insisting his war is not America's problem and even in some cases echoing his propaganda.
If this doesn't sound familiar, you're not paying attention!
Of course, critics will roll their eyes and say "those are ham-fisted false equivalencies." I remind you, reader, this book was written in 2018, before those equivalencies were even there to be drawn. When this book was written, there was no war in Europe to compare it to!
Does it have flaws?
Okay. So, the author is decidedly Left-Wing, and he never bothers to hide his bias. While he points out, quite rightly, the dangers posed by pro-Hitler organizations operating in the US in the 1930's, he repeatedly laments that the FBI was too busy trackingpoor, innocent Communists to do anything about them (p. 4 & 69). In fact, on page 14, when the author recounts Martin Dies Jr.'s assertion that he considers Communism and Fascism to be two sides of the same totalitarian coin, the author seems scandalized by this notion. This theme of "I wish the FBI would stop acting as if Far Left extremists were a threat and focus on everybody even remotely associated with the Right" doesn't quite run throughout the entire book. In fact, the author does occasionally, grudgingly, acknowledge that there were, in fact, Pro-Communist extremist groups in the US during the same time period as the Pro-Fascist extremist groups he is writing about, and he even lauds both political parties for taking steps to make sure that the Pro-Hitler elements within their own ranks (and yes, both parties had them as he explains) from ever getting close to the presidency. But at nearly every juncture the author goes to every possible length to try and whitewash Communist threats.
It's a shame really, because this overt Left Wing bias not only takes the edge off of what would otherwise be a shocking, eye-opening read, but it makes it too easily dismissed by those who need to read it the most (that is, the modern Center-Right who feel, erroneously, like they have no options except siding with their Leftist opponents or siding with the pro-Russia extremists at the far-reaching fringe of their own faction).
But there's an unexpected bonus.
While the author's intention was to draw comparisons between Hitler's manipulation of the Far-Right then and Putin's manipulation of the Far-Right today (and the parallels between the "no aid for Britain" crowd then and the "no aid for Ukraine" crowd today are eerily plain), the author does have two chapters that shine a light on the dangers from the opposite end of the political spectrum. The chapters outlining Nazi Germany's use of academic institutions and business interests reminded me less of modern day Russian meddling and more of modern day Chinese meddling. The way German "culture clubs" on US campuses pushed Nazi propaganda (the way the Confucius Institute pushes Xi-ist propaganda today), the way Hitler's Germany encouraged German exchange students in America to "tell the Fatherland's story (almost the exact same words China uses today)," the way Germany pandered to American students, plying them with cheap booze and plentiful access to sex in the hopes that they'd think fondly of Germany when they returned home (the way China does today), and the way Germany manipulated currency controls to hold German branches of foreign firms hostage by making it impossible to transfer their profits overseas, all absolutely smacked of China's early twenty-first century playbook. And now that I think about it, the theme of "Anti-Semitic drivel on U.S. campuses" sounds a lot like the Pro-Hamas, Anti-Israel garbage being spewed by the "Free Palestine" crowd on American campuses today.
So, who should read it?
Well, frankly everyone in America. Period. This book, even with the annoyingly obvious Left-wing bias mentioned above, needs to be required reading in every high school and university across the United States (and as to the above-mentioned bias, it's actually less ham-fisted than the Left-wing dogma written into most of what they're already reading). Republicans who are getting tired of Marjorie Taylor Green's nonsense will be relieved to find "yes, you CAN actually go against lunatics in your own party (in fact most of us already have) and it doesn't make you a supporter of the Democrats." Russopublicans who are delusional enough to side with Greene, might actually get hit with enough clue-by-fours to have their "are we the baddies" moment. And of course, Democrats who are currently gloating as Republicans awkwardly and sheepishly confront the Russian influence within our own party can get a humbling dose of introspection by noting the comparisons to the Chinese influence (and the Hamas influence) within theirs.
During the first Trump Administration it was popular for Leftists to insist the president was a Fascist. In all fairness, this has been the favorite line of Leftists under any Conservative presidential administration in living memory, so it wasn't as though it was new or sensational. However, Donald Trump (perhaps unwittingly) threw these Leftists a bone by using a slogan that happened to be the name of an organization from the 1930's and early '40's which Adolf Hitler considered the most promising candidate for the basis of American Fascism: "America First." This, the oft-made comparison between Donald Trump's "MAGA" movement and Charles Lindbergh's society dedicated to keeping America out of World War 2, was what Bradley Hart was going for in 2018 when he wrote this book. It's a thesis which is barely ever addressed in this book.
Ironically, though the point the author set out to make never gets adequately made, a larger and more salient point (which he didn't even know needed to be made yet) became crystal clear in the aftermath of 2022.
The book's account of the precursors to World war 2 begins on an interestingly symbolic date: September 11, 1941. Thus, the theme of "echoes of World War 2 in the twenty-first century" hits the reader like a two-by-four in the very first line. This was the night when Charles Lindbergh, the famed pilot of the "Spirit of St. Louis" who would later use his celebrity status to launch himself into politics as the darling of the American Far Right by taking the helm of an isolationist movement (and if you missed the Trump comparison, don't worry; the author's going to hit you in the face with ham-fisted reiterations of it again and again for the next twenty pages) went off-script and openly confessed that he wasn't so much "anti-war" as "anti-Zionist," which has always been a dog-whistle for "anti-Jewish."
This becomes the launch pad for a book that highlights many of the leading voices in the isolationist movement leading up to World War 2 (a few celebrities, the German diaspora, conspiracy theorists, the religious Right, and the academic complex) and compares them rather handily to the present day. Some of these groups were openly in the pocket of the Hitler regime, and some had no idea that the German government was quietly backing them because their goals of keeping America out of the war dovetailed nicely with Hitler's goal of isolating Britain.
And if I'd read this book during the Administration it was aimed at lampooning, I'd have found it hilariously desperate. The author's intended goal was to make the reader think "Lindbergh hated Jews like Trump hates Jihadis... Lindbergh was disgusted with the British like Trump is disgusted with NATO... Lindbergh accused Roosevelt (quite accurately, if you really want to know) of being a Socialist, just like Trump accused Obama (also quite rightly) of being a Socialist... Trump is an unwitting puppet of fascists, just like Lindbergh was." On this point, he hilariously fails. He could not have had a clue, writing this book in 2018, that its primary relevance would not become apparent until after the president he was aiming it at was already out of office. Have a look at a few lines.
"Providing aid to Britain - the last Western European country still fighting the Germans - would simply detract from building the country's defenses. This was the standard isolationist position before Pearl Harbor: let the Europeans fight their own conflicts and make sure America was sufficiently prepared to stay out of them."
...
"No doubt he was partially inspired by the Roosevelt Administration's Lend-Lease policy, which had made it through Congress earlier in the year and allowed the president to provide military vehicles, aircraft and munitions to the ailing Allies."
-page 2
By the second page, the author has already drawn clear comparisons between the 1930's struggle to overcome the Far-Right's recalcitrance and get America into the fight against Hitler's Nazis, and the 2020's struggle to overcome the Far-Right's recalcitrance and get America into the fight against Putin's Neo-Nazis. And of course, this theme (which I remind you was not even there to be made when the book was written) runs through the entire book.
"There were, [Lindbergh] concluded, three groups that had conspired to draw the country into the conflict: the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt administration."
-page 2
"Allegations of Jewish control over the film industry were commonplace at these gatherings, and speakers expressed the Bund's determination to rid the picture industry of them."
-Page 40
Replace "Jewish" with the less-than-subtle anti-Jewish code word, "Zionists," "the British" with the words "Ukrainian Lobbyists," and the name "Roosevelt" with "Biden" and it becomes indistinguishable from virtually every post made by isolationist conspiracy theorists. Later on in Chapter 3 (entitled "The Religious Right") the author points out how some pro-German preachers, such as Father Coughlin of Detroit, even claimed Hitler was "fighting to defend Christianity," using the exact same words Marjorie Taylor Greene used to describe Putin's campaign. Chapter 4 ("The Senators") shines light on the number of Senators who built their election campaigns off of an appeal to the isolationist Right, leading to campaign slogans that sounded like they were written in Berlin, just as many of today's MAGA criers sound like their platforms were written in Moscow.
But the main theme, and the one that didn't even have contemporary relevance when the book was written, was the constant parallelism between the Germany lobby's "don't get involved in a war on Britain's behalf" message and the Russonazi lobby's "don't get involved in a war on Ukraine's behalf" message.
For instance, "Hitler is only trying to regain Germany's former colonies," the claim by a German student at Stanford in 1940, found on page 151, is just like the claim that Russia is "just regaining what's actually theirs by enslaving Ukraine," a claim echoed by the openly professed "Anti-Zionists" (read 'Hitler-esque Jew haters who haven't got the guts to admit that they hate Jews so they substitute a code-word for Jews).
And then of course, there is a quick summary on page 7 of Germany's propaganda playbook in the years leading up to World War 2. If you read it and replace "England" with "Ukraine," it begins to sound like anything Tucker Carlson or Marjorie taylor-Green have said in the past three years.
And of course, page 163 addresses the elephant in the room, namely, that most on the Far-Right didn't even have a platform other than "FDR is for Britain, and I'm against FDR, so I'm for Germany," much the same way much of today's Right doesn't have a platform other than "Biden is for Ukraine, and I'm against Biden, so I'm for Russia!"
So let's recap: A genocidal madman is waging war in Europe, against a country that has no clear treaty with America, and a Far-Left president who hasn't done much else right in his administration manages to see sense for once, and sees (albeit belatedly) that America needs to support the war effort against said madman. Meanwhile, this Leftist president's opponents (the GOP) have a number within their ranks who are so desperate to remove the Leftist president from office that they side with the genocidal madman instead, insisting his war is not America's problem and even in some cases echoing his propaganda.
If this doesn't sound familiar, you're not paying attention!
Of course, critics will roll their eyes and say "those are ham-fisted false equivalencies." I remind you, reader, this book was written in 2018, before those equivalencies were even there to be drawn. When this book was written, there was no war in Europe to compare it to!
Does it have flaws?
Okay. So, the author is decidedly Left-Wing, and he never bothers to hide his bias. While he points out, quite rightly, the dangers posed by pro-Hitler organizations operating in the US in the 1930's, he repeatedly laments that the FBI was too busy trackingpoor, innocent Communists to do anything about them (p. 4 & 69). In fact, on page 14, when the author recounts Martin Dies Jr.'s assertion that he considers Communism and Fascism to be two sides of the same totalitarian coin, the author seems scandalized by this notion. This theme of "I wish the FBI would stop acting as if Far Left extremists were a threat and focus on everybody even remotely associated with the Right" doesn't quite run throughout the entire book. In fact, the author does occasionally, grudgingly, acknowledge that there were, in fact, Pro-Communist extremist groups in the US during the same time period as the Pro-Fascist extremist groups he is writing about, and he even lauds both political parties for taking steps to make sure that the Pro-Hitler elements within their own ranks (and yes, both parties had them as he explains) from ever getting close to the presidency. But at nearly every juncture the author goes to every possible length to try and whitewash Communist threats.
It's a shame really, because this overt Left Wing bias not only takes the edge off of what would otherwise be a shocking, eye-opening read, but it makes it too easily dismissed by those who need to read it the most (that is, the modern Center-Right who feel, erroneously, like they have no options except siding with their Leftist opponents or siding with the pro-Russia extremists at the far-reaching fringe of their own faction).
But there's an unexpected bonus.
While the author's intention was to draw comparisons between Hitler's manipulation of the Far-Right then and Putin's manipulation of the Far-Right today (and the parallels between the "no aid for Britain" crowd then and the "no aid for Ukraine" crowd today are eerily plain), the author does have two chapters that shine a light on the dangers from the opposite end of the political spectrum. The chapters outlining Nazi Germany's use of academic institutions and business interests reminded me less of modern day Russian meddling and more of modern day Chinese meddling. The way German "culture clubs" on US campuses pushed Nazi propaganda (the way the Confucius Institute pushes Xi-ist propaganda today), the way Hitler's Germany encouraged German exchange students in America to "tell the Fatherland's story (almost the exact same words China uses today)," the way Germany pandered to American students, plying them with cheap booze and plentiful access to sex in the hopes that they'd think fondly of Germany when they returned home (the way China does today), and the way Germany manipulated currency controls to hold German branches of foreign firms hostage by making it impossible to transfer their profits overseas, all absolutely smacked of China's early twenty-first century playbook. And now that I think about it, the theme of "Anti-Semitic drivel on U.S. campuses" sounds a lot like the Pro-Hamas, Anti-Israel garbage being spewed by the "Free Palestine" crowd on American campuses today.
So, who should read it?
Well, frankly everyone in America. Period. This book, even with the annoyingly obvious Left-wing bias mentioned above, needs to be required reading in every high school and university across the United States (and as to the above-mentioned bias, it's actually less ham-fisted than the Left-wing dogma written into most of what they're already reading). Republicans who are getting tired of Marjorie Taylor Green's nonsense will be relieved to find "yes, you CAN actually go against lunatics in your own party (in fact most of us already have) and it doesn't make you a supporter of the Democrats." Russopublicans who are delusional enough to side with Greene, might actually get hit with enough clue-by-fours to have their "are we the baddies" moment. And of course, Democrats who are currently gloating as Republicans awkwardly and sheepishly confront the Russian influence within our own party can get a humbling dose of introspection by noting the comparisons to the Chinese influence (and the Hamas influence) within theirs.
January 13, 2019
It is a good survey of early fascist groups in the U.S., though it really forgoes much necessary analysis of how it relates to modern America. The impetus for that analysis is set in the introduction, but lacking throughout the rest of the book. That is not to say there is a lot of good here, especially the chapters on the Silver Legion, the German-American Bund, and the America First Committee, but I would just like to see a little more theoretical work, modern comparisons, and a deeper dive into their ideologies. I still highly recommend the book, however, and the writing is smooth and relatable and the scholarship is unimpeachable.
January 10, 2022
It's conceptually interesting and important to know about the very real effects of Nazism in America. This book does a good job of summarizing the history of Nazi sympathizers during world war II. It takes the story one step further by contextualizing the Trump administration in the history of Nazi sympathizers in this country.
However by focusing on Fringe poorly organized groups in order to create the most sensational possible story of Nazis in America, this book trivializes the history of hate in this country.
Do you understand the deep seeded roots of hate in our politics you do not and should not need to look to avowed Nazis.
However by focusing on Fringe poorly organized groups in order to create the most sensational possible story of Nazis in America, this book trivializes the history of hate in this country.
Do you understand the deep seeded roots of hate in our politics you do not and should not need to look to avowed Nazis.
December 27, 2018
A well-written and absorbing account about a disturbing period in U.S. history (of which there are many). I once lived in Royal Oak, Michigan, which is discussed in detail here, specifically Father Charles Coughlin's insidious and hypocritical influence via radio broadcasts and the Shrine of the Little Flower Church. Charles Lindbergh is another figure with Michigan ties whose star has considerably dimmed over the years. I also really enjoyed seeing how this chapter in American history mirrors current events; one hopes we can learn from history, but it seems we are doomed to repeat it.
January 13, 2021
An informative discussion of many of the more well known fascist and Nazi sympathizers during the 30's up until World War II. Some of these Americans were true believers. Others came naturally, swept by their nativist anti-Semitism, racial bigotry and general right wing extremism. Others, rabid anti-FDR and anti- New Deal, drifted in, as well as business persons who, as well as being right wing opponents of Roosevelt, luxuriated in profits from the Nazi regime while directly contributing to its militarization. The German-American Bund, the anti-Semitic Silver Legion and virulent Christian right wing, also intensely anti-Semitic, and the isolationist, conservative senators all pushed for not only tolerance of Hitler but in many cases raw admiration of his policies. Some of these leaders were idiots, many others grifters seduced by power and prestige and not a little money more than agenda. Some rose and fell, replaced by others who basked in the native fascist limelight for a while, sometimes financed by the Third Reich. After 1939, as the war in Europe intensified, rose the America First! movement, at first seemingly just an isolationist group whose public figurehead was Charles Lindbergh. But it quickly attracted all the detritus of the other, floundering and floundered, movements, all the anti-Semites, racial bigots, white nationalists, right wing Christian extremists, opponents of socialism, communism, and labor. Oddly enough, there was very little of pacifism in the anti-intervention of America First! As quoted from Lawrence Dennis, an American fascist, from after the war- "The anti-intervention or then so-called isolation cause was basically anti-New Deal. ...The American Firsters or anti-war factors were not really pacifists or anti-war." The American pacifist and anti-war movement prior to and during WWII is not this book's purview. But I add that many pacifists opposed to the United States entry into the war were not Hitler acolytes. Some in the I.W.W. and other unions, as well as socialists, continued to claim that wars are a tool to subjugate the working class and that American workers had more in common with German workers than their own bosses. Other opponents were Christians who weirdly believed that what the Gospels claimed Jesus said, He really meant. Lastly, it's ironic that Donald Trump used "America First" as his campaign slogan. Well, not so ironic after all.
January 25, 2022
This is a history book, but it's also a crime book, a spy story, and a politics tome. It, sadly, continues to be relevant with the resurgence of the far-right. The book is a real page-turner, with the hybrid spy-politics story quite fascinating and intense. The suspense is always there, even though we already know how the story ends. You'll hear the story of propagandists, con artists, activists, and antisemites — and, importantly, how they were able to be stopped.
Whatever overlap there is of different topics, there is no sugarcoating that this is a book about antisemitism. The book's argument is that there were more than ten million Americans who could be classified as "Hitler's friends in waiting" and that antisemitism made this movement far more widespread than widely thought. The lines of pro-Nazism and isolationism blurred and, even with Hart sometimes perhaps overemphasizing the crossover, it's clear that prejudice was at this intersection. By combining American confusion and apathy with the prejudice that many had toward the Jews, they gained ground for their hateful movement. But they did not win, and Hart's book is the tale of that part too, making it not such a dismal read.
Big business, semi-mainstream religious and political figures, and universities all tolerated Nazis, while anti-Nazi views were often sidelined or deliberately depressed. Hart even argues that America barely avoided being a Nazi-affiliated country by forces including "sheer luck". In this book, you'll hear about figures like Charles Lindbergh you've heard of and many you haven't. It's a reminder that hate is not only a threat to all countries, but that sometimes it's very close to home.
Whatever overlap there is of different topics, there is no sugarcoating that this is a book about antisemitism. The book's argument is that there were more than ten million Americans who could be classified as "Hitler's friends in waiting" and that antisemitism made this movement far more widespread than widely thought. The lines of pro-Nazism and isolationism blurred and, even with Hart sometimes perhaps overemphasizing the crossover, it's clear that prejudice was at this intersection. By combining American confusion and apathy with the prejudice that many had toward the Jews, they gained ground for their hateful movement. But they did not win, and Hart's book is the tale of that part too, making it not such a dismal read.
Big business, semi-mainstream religious and political figures, and universities all tolerated Nazis, while anti-Nazi views were often sidelined or deliberately depressed. Hart even argues that America barely avoided being a Nazi-affiliated country by forces including "sheer luck". In this book, you'll hear about figures like Charles Lindbergh you've heard of and many you haven't. It's a reminder that hate is not only a threat to all countries, but that sometimes it's very close to home.
December 16, 2022
I first heard about this book a couple of months ago. Anyone who has ever wondered why America was so slow to get more involved in the fight against Hitler and his gang has to read this book. Every part of Americana was infiltrated by Nazi Sympathizers. Even the Congress. Colleges..Universities....Papers.. Everything... I'll never look at a bottle of Coke or Fanta in the same way. Same with businesses. Businesses didn't want to say anything bad about the Reich because there was money to be made. The catch point was that as much as GM and others made beaucoup money out couldn't be export to the USA....rgardless of the developing horrors of the camps. It is a devastating book.....nightmarish in nature...Haunting because as you listen to the news on TV or radio reverberations rresonate wildly and vividly. Please read this ......if you dare.
December 26, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, which looks at how the Third Reich tried to cultivate "friends" in America. Looking at radio demagogues, isolationist politicians and a good helping of spies or foreign agents Hitler's American Friends argues that while Hitler's friends did not have majority support it came perhaps dangerously close to having real influence on America and American policy.
March 4, 2025
A fascinating read about the combination of pro nazi, pro fascists, big business, and isolationists who conspired to keep the US out of World War II and supporting Germany for a variety of reasons.
It appears that we did not learn from this experience as once again hate and fascism are once again threatening the existence of US democracy.
It appears that we did not learn from this experience as once again hate and fascism are once again threatening the existence of US democracy.
December 24, 2021
I've done some research into tumultuous 1930s and, among other things, the country's brushes with insurrection and fascism. This book has to be the most complete, well researched
examination of just how many Americans were ready to abandon capitalism for something more successful during that period. Clearly written, and not a little frightening.
examination of just how many Americans were ready to abandon capitalism for something more successful during that period. Clearly written, and not a little frightening.
January 25, 2023
A discussion about Americans and permanent residents who supported and contributed to the Nazis until the Attack on Pearl Harbor and sometimes beyond.
December 20, 2025
Extremely well-researched. Lots of material that I was not aware of. Not the fastest to read, however.
April 28, 2023
Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh received medals from Adolf Hitler. Ford was a virulent anti-Semite. I never would purchase a Ford car.
“America First” was used by the tRump’s campaign. However, there was an America First organization prior to WWII. It was supported by Nazis and other hate groups.
Many prominent republicans were members of this “organization”
“America First” was used by the tRump’s campaign. However, there was an America First organization prior to WWII. It was supported by Nazis and other hate groups.
Many prominent republicans were members of this “organization”
August 7, 2018
A very interesting read about a very scary time -- various politicians, businessmen, and more colluding with and profiting from working a foreign government.
While Hart could have made this a moralizing tale about that time and this one, he largely refrains from doing that and instead offers an informative and readable look at a dark side of US history. While many people may think the German-American Bund and other such organizations along with Nazi sponsored sabotage missions were the primary threats, Hart shows that U.S. politicians (the isolationists primarily), labor leaders, corporations, and more were drawn into supporting the Nazi cause for their various reasons. American corporate icons such as Coca-Cola, Ford, and GM, while being patriotic on the homefront, also aided and abetted the enemy -- and amassed fortunes at the same time. Politicians sent out thinly disguised Nazi propaganda using their government franking privileges. And more.
I highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in WWII, pre-war America and the isolationist movement, antisemitism in the US, and so on.
While Hart could have made this a moralizing tale about that time and this one, he largely refrains from doing that and instead offers an informative and readable look at a dark side of US history. While many people may think the German-American Bund and other such organizations along with Nazi sponsored sabotage missions were the primary threats, Hart shows that U.S. politicians (the isolationists primarily), labor leaders, corporations, and more were drawn into supporting the Nazi cause for their various reasons. American corporate icons such as Coca-Cola, Ford, and GM, while being patriotic on the homefront, also aided and abetted the enemy -- and amassed fortunes at the same time. Politicians sent out thinly disguised Nazi propaganda using their government franking privileges. And more.
I highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in WWII, pre-war America and the isolationist movement, antisemitism in the US, and so on.
September 24, 2024
Interesting topic, I learned a decent amount. Will I remember it? Probably not.
Discovered a creepy coincidence related to my personal writing and real life.
The plot to commit terrorism in the United States by the Nazis was shocking, but honestly nothing else was.
Overall, the book felt more like a big news article. At the same time it felt too short but also dreadfully long. I wished there was more on the "average joe" who supported the Nazis rather than just the leaders of these past far-right groups.
All the big reveals I already saw in "The United States and the Holocaust" documentary series on PBS.
My least favourite aspect of this article is the writing. It was very bland, in my opinion, and also repetitive. I never want to read the phrase "Hitler's American Friends" ever again.
Don't really have a real review for this one, sadly. Sometimes, you should read a Wikipedia article for an hour than a whole ass book.
P.S. The fact this was published in 2018 is very very funny given recent events in, well, the whole western world. The whole world actually. Fascism is back babyyyyyyyyy.
Discovered a creepy coincidence related to my personal writing and real life.
The plot to commit terrorism in the United States by the Nazis was shocking, but honestly nothing else was.
Overall, the book felt more like a big news article. At the same time it felt too short but also dreadfully long. I wished there was more on the "average joe" who supported the Nazis rather than just the leaders of these past far-right groups.
All the big reveals I already saw in "The United States and the Holocaust" documentary series on PBS.
My least favourite aspect of this article is the writing. It was very bland, in my opinion, and also repetitive. I never want to read the phrase "Hitler's American Friends" ever again.
Don't really have a real review for this one, sadly. Sometimes, you should read a Wikipedia article for an hour than a whole ass book.
P.S. The fact this was published in 2018 is very very funny given recent events in, well, the whole western world. The whole world actually. Fascism is back babyyyyyyyyy.
October 24, 2018
A bit soft on the American Nazis. Why call them (repeatedly, on every other page) "Hitler's American friends" when simply Nazis or Fascists would have sufficed? Anglo-American cultures have huge problem with sympathising with Fascism and it is about time we seriously faced this major problem. These are not fringe groups, never were. They are everywhere living among the decent folks:
https://youtu.be/ksn2i_T7_vc
Also read Anthony C. Sutton's 'Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler' on this topic.
https://youtu.be/ksn2i_T7_vc
Also read Anthony C. Sutton's 'Wall Street and the Rise of Hitler' on this topic.
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