TIL: In 1940 93% of Americans Didn’t Think the US Should Declare War on Germany \ stacker news ~history

pull down to refresh

TIL: In 1940 93% of Americans Didn’t Think the US Should Declare War on Germany

3180 sats \ 10 comments \ @kr 25 Jan history

This is an interesting site that shows America’s shift in sentiment towards entering WWII over time.

The war began in 1939 with Germany invading Poland, followed by invasions into Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

At this point both Britain and France had already declared war on Germany, but many Americans were in the “isolationist” camp, perhaps a result of the depression of the previous decade and the lack of an immediate threat to national security.

By the time of Pearl Harbor in 1941, 91% of the country was in favor of WWII, nearly a complete reversal from the year before.

view all related items

627 sats \ 6 replies \ @kepford 25 Jan

Wait until you discover how many US elites were fans of the fascists and fascism prior to the US entering the war. Some would argue that they were fascists themselves and have been covering that fact up ever since.

0 sats \ 5 replies \ @kr OP 25 Jan

can you share any recommended articles/books?

640 sats \ 0 replies \ @anon 25 Jan

The first few chapters of The Devil's Chessboard cover this extensively.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil%27s_Chessboard#The_Devil's_Chessboard

549 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 25 Jan

This time period is interesting. I really like David Pietrusza's books. He focuses a book on one year in history and the tales of significant figures. 1932 is a great book on that year covering FDR and Hitler. Not really a book on what I was talking about but there is a lot of interesting things covered.

458 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 25 Jan

I'm trying to remember specific books but it was something that is just kinda mentioned in passing a lot. The holocaust really triggered a white washing of anyone promanant's positive positions on Hitler.

I mean you can look at the polices of the US during the war to see fascism in action. Also Hitler spoke highly of many US policies. I think in the US we are conditioned to kind wave away our concentration camps, witch hunts, and partnerships between state and corporation. What is most fascinating to me about this period of history is how seemingly open and support the population was with collectivism(fascism, socialism, & communism) both in name and function. Its why the whole world view of conservatism fell apart on my in my 20s. What are they conserving? A rotting corpse of liberty?

371 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 25 Jan

I can't vouch for this article but it does mention one elite that I've heard about before. https://www.thehistoryreader.com/historical-figures/hitlers-american-friends-henry-ford-and-nazism/

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @gbks 26 Jan

Prequel by Rachel Maddow discusses this in detail.

360 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bitman 25 Jan

The Nazis swept into France with such speed that it was impossible to prevent in time.

'Speed' being the operative word. The invading Nazis were given methamphetamine (crystal meth/speed) so they didn't tire.

This was one of the secrets to their early victories, but in the end, with the problems that ensued from this, might have quickened their demise.

There are several articles on the Nazi use of methamphetamine.

Such as this one:

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/hitler-and-his-drugs-inside-the-nazis-secret-speed-craze-113396/

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @badabing 25 Jan

Speed was also due to top generals like Von Kleist "allowing" their Panzer divisions under Guderian and Rommel to advance without waiting for the infantry to catch up and consolidate.

181 sats \ 0 replies \ @TNStacker 26 Jan

Perspective right? Are we all that different about Ukraine how?