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If we’re gonna make bumper stickers, then let’s make some bumper stickers.

FDR Lied... Millions Died?

Here is the muse:

Roosevelt fed the hysteria by claiming that he possessed a “secret map” showing Nazi plans to conquer South and Central America, as well as secret documents proving that Hitler planned to supplant all existing religions with a Nazi Church (p. 266). Needless to say, these statements were further falsehoods. (wintercow: I wonder if this guy would give the same speech …)

Another landmark on the road to war was the Atlantic Charter meeting between FDR and Churchill off the Newfoundland coast in August 1941. Churchill reported to his cabinet: the president had confided that “he would wage war, but not declare it, and that he would become more and more provocative. . . . Everything was to be done to force an ‘incident’” (p. 239–40). A month later, FDR did provoke the “incident” involving the U.S. destroyer Greer, which he used as a pretext for his order to “shoot on sight” any German and Italian vessels in the three-quarters of the North Atlantic that, as Doenecke states, now comprised our “defensive waters.“ The AFC accused FDR of initiating “an undeclared war, in plain violation of the Constitution.“ The public did not care very much, and the president not at all. A few days later, American ships and planes began escorting convoys carrying munitions of war to Britain (p. 259–61). Attacks on U.S. warships multiplied as Congress voted to arm U.S. merchant ships, depriving them of any immunity as neutrals, and to permit U.S. naval vessels to enter the previously off-limits “combat zones.” What prevented a war from breaking out was Hitler’s resolve to keep the United States at bay until he was ready for the American onslaught.

Of course, since these observations are contra the conventional wisdom, it must be false itself. I would have far more respect for my intellectual opponents if we could have a serious conversation about the butchery committed by Wilson, FDR and others – and the incredible hypocrisy of current political views in light of this history. It will never happen. I have a new idea for a college major: Political Religion. Or better yet, maybe we should just put all of the social sciences into the religion department?

3 Responses to “Paragons of Pernicious Pedantry, A Continuing Series”

  1. Harry says:

    First, saying something untrue when one may be mistaken is not a lie.

    As far as WWII is concerned, I am glad Hitler was defeated. Same goes for the Japanese, as I am sure Wintercow is.

    Rooseveldt may have lied about the Germans, but, not being a political junkie back then, I do not know whether those lies carried much weight. I would have thought Rooseveldt could have made a good case against Hitler after Hitler invaded the Sudetenland and bombed Britain, but then we did not have a big standing army, let alone the carrier Ronald Reagan loaded with stealth bombers. It took not Rooseveldt’s lies, but Pearl Harbor to declare war, which congress did.

    I am not going to get into Yalta, G. Rexford Tugwell, Harold Ickes, Harry Hopkins, the Rosenbergs, Alger Hiss, et cetera.

    Did you know that the IPhone spelling checker tries to make you spell Redford when you try to spell Rexford?

  2. Michael says:

    Our country has had a problem since it’s founding on what to do when others go to war. Back in the early days of our country, we got into trouble with France (Quasi-war) then Britian (1812) when they fought each other. Jefferson tried to ban trade with warring nations, but that economic boycott didn’t go over too well economically (and politically) speaking. The best position maybe just to tell the citizens that once they are 50 miles out, you’re on your own. That won’t do well politically, though.

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