Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism

Prequel investigates the interplay of American isolationism, antisemitism, and fascism, three movements that became increasingly intertwined in the lead-up to World War II. The text shows that isolationism became an acceptable cloak for extremist ideologies, merging with anti-Roosevelt sentiments to sway moderate US citizens toward policies that mirrored Nazi Germany’s interests. As the story unfolds, Maddow meticulously reveals that isolationism transcended a mere reluctance to engage in global conflicts; instead, it evolved into a vessel for explicitly antisemitic and fascist ideologies, which challenges the conventional understanding of this historical period in the US.

Leading up to World War II and in the initial years of the war, isolationism, coupled with anti-Roosevelt sentiments, became a more palatable way for extremists to express their views and convince more moderate US citizens to support policies that aligned with Nazi Germany’s agenda. Figures like Lawrence Dennis exercised a degree of plausible deniability as they professed to hold their isolationist views as separate from their support of fascism. Dennis even portrayed his isolationism as deeply American:

Lawrence Dennis was both an outspoken proponent of Hitler-style authoritarianism and an avowed isolationist, opposed to American involvement in foreign wars, especially any war in Europe against Hitler. Simultaneous advocacy of these two copacetic positions was clearly no coincidence, but Dennis portrayed it as if it were. ‘I took my isolationism from George Washington’s Farewell Address and from a long line of classics,’ he would say. He counted among his friends the most committed isolationists in the U.S. Congress (44-45).

During the 1930s, such arguments seemed acceptable to many Americans. Maddow gradually reveals that isolationism, antisemitism, and fascism became increasingly inextricable. Isolationism did not just represent a desire to avoid repeating the trauma and devastation experienced by soldiers and their families during World War I. Rather, it served as a vehicle for explicitly antisemitic and fascist sentiments. In analyzing 1941 speeches by Charles Lindbergh and Senator Burton K. Wheeler, Maddow notes, “The anti-Roosevelt polemic was […] a natural part of American politics whenever momentous questions of war and peace arose. However, the threads of isolationism, antisemitism, and fascism were becoming an ominously tight weave” (219). Following Wheeler’s and Lindbergh’s speeches, an antifascist committee observed how closely the isolationist Lindbergh had become involved with violent fascists: “‘Today, street rioters have merged with big-time [Hitler] appeasers and an air of respectability cloaks the Fascist front,’ the coordinating committee reported. ‘Unanimously Lindbergh is acclaimed the leader’” (219). Maddow comments that as the summer of 1941 wore on, Lindbergh began to “slough off any ambiguity or coyness about his real views. And it came with a none-too-subtle threat […] To Lindbergh, the Jews were not only alien to America, they ought to be afraid about it” (219-20). The text illustrates how isolationism exceeded political caution, serving as a conduit for the proliferation of extremist beliefs that threatened democratic ideals in the US.

Prequel navigates the nuanced landscape of US isolationism, antisemitism, and fascism, unraveling a story in which isolationism, entwined with anti-Roosevelt sentiments, became a strategic tool for extremists. Maddow’s exploration challenges preconceived notions, illustrating how isolationism transformed into a vehicle for explicitly antisemitic and fascist ideologies. This nuanced perspective invites readers to critically engage with historical complexities, prompting a deeper understanding of the interplay between political ideologies during this pivotal era.