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Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941: The Battle for Public Opinion

Dawson Reed

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Published in Those Angry Days: Roosevelt Lindbergh And America S Fight Over World War II 1939 1941

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In the years leading up to World War II, the United States was deeply divided over whether or not to intervene in the conflict. President Franklin D. Roosevelt believed that the United States had a moral obligation to help the Allies defeat Nazi Germany, but many Americans, including famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, were opposed to intervention.

The debate over intervention reached its peak in the fall of 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In the aftermath of the attack, Roosevelt was able to convince Congress to declare war on Japan, but the debate over intervention continued. Lindbergh and other isolationists argued that the United States should focus on defending its own shores, not on fighting a war in Europe.

Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941

by Lynne Olson

4.6 out of 5

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The debate over intervention was a complex one, with strong arguments on both sides. Roosevelt believed that the United States had a moral obligation to help the Allies defeat Nazi Germany, but Lindbergh and other isolationists argued that the United States should focus on defending its own shores. The debate was ultimately resolved by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which led the United States to declare war on Japan and enter World War II.

Roosevelt's Case for Intervention

Roosevelt believed that the United States had a moral obligation to help the Allies defeat Nazi Germany. He argued that Nazi Germany was a threat to the world and that the United States could not stand idly by while the Nazis conquered Europe. Roosevelt also believed that the United States had a strategic interest in defeating Nazi Germany. He believed that if Germany won the war, it would become the dominant power in Europe and would threaten the security of the United States.

Roosevelt's case for intervention was based on both moral and strategic grounds. He believed that the United States had a moral obligation to help the Allies defeat Nazi Germany and that the United States had a strategic interest in defeating Nazi Germany.

Lindbergh's Case for Isolationism

Lindbergh and other isolationists argued that the United States should focus on defending its own shores, not on fighting a war in Europe. They argued that the United States was not directly threatened by Nazi Germany and that the United States should not risk its own security by intervening in the war. Lindbergh also argued that the United States should not get involved in a war that was not in its own interests.

Lindbergh's case for isolationism was based on the belief that the United States was not directly threatened by Nazi Germany and that the United States should not risk its own security by intervening in the war.

The Debate Over Intervention

The debate over intervention in World War II was a defining moment in American history. The debate pitted two visions of America's role in the world against each other: one that saw America as a moral leader with a responsibility to help those in need, and one that saw America as a self-interested nation that should focus on its own security. The debate was ultimately resolved by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, but the legacy of the debate continues to shape American foreign policy today.

Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941

by Lynne Olson

4.6 out of 5