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Awakening the Spirit of America
FDR's War of Words With Charles Lindbergh—and the Battle to Save Democracy
1 of 1 copy available
"In today's troubled times, with authoritarianism escalating at home and abroad, Sparrow's book reads like an all-hands-on-deck wakeup call. Highly recommended!"—Douglas Brinkley
Franklin Roosevelt awoke at 2:50 a.m. on September 1, 1939 to the news that Germany had invaded Poland, signaling the start of World War II. The president had warned for years that Hitler's fascist regime posed an existential threat to democracy, but the American public remained stubbornly isolationist as fascist sympathizing groups, egged on by right wing media stars promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, plotted to overthrow the president.
The situation was dire, and Roosevelt quickly found himself facing an unexpected adversary: Charles Lindbergh. Wildly popular, the famed aviator's youthful charm, plainspoken rhetoric, and media magnetism earned him a massive following as he led an aggressive attack on FDR's policies. Millions listened to Linberg's radio broadcasts and attended his rallies. Powerful individuals including William Randolph Hearst, Henry Ford, and members of Congress supported him. The German government provided secret funds to Lindbergh's Nazi followers as he led the radical America First Committee in an effort to prevent Roosevelt from aiding England's survival—and the world's.
Awakening the Spirit of America brilliantly shows how Roosevelt overcame the forces aligned against him in a war against fascism. Paul Sparrow, former director of the FDR Presidential Library, reveals how FDR's triumph of leadership was by no means a foregone conclusion. Roosevelt's astute political maneuvers and persuasive use of language to preserve what he termed "the spirit of America" changed history and can still inspire today.
Sparrow brings readers into the rooms where key decisions were made, focusing on the crucial role words, media, and propaganda played in the transformation of America into the protector of the free world. Awakening the Spirit of America provides a riveting, inside account of FDR's ultimate victory over pro-Nazi isolationists and provides vital insight into American history and an iconic president.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
June 4, 2024 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781639366682
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781639366682
- File size: 11748 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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June 1, 2024
One man, a U.S. president at a time of heightened global tensions, tries to use the power of his office to assist an ally in its fight with an aggressive neighbor. The other man, an icon turned politician, argues against the president's actions, advocating instead for an isolationist, America-first approach. This is the war of words at the heart of Sparrow's fascinating new book. From September 1939 until January 1942, Franklin Delano Roosevelt "persuaded the world that free people could overcome the terror of mechanized militaries controlled by brutal totalitarian government," as Sparrow puts it. Standing in his way was Charles Lindbergh, the aviator and national hero who, as spokesman for the America First Committee, argued against involvement in the burgeoning Second World War, claiming that Hitler was necessary to defeat the Soviet Union (debatable) and that Jews were ruining everything (deplorable). Enough books have been written on WWII to stretch from here to eternity, but few have focused on this mano-a-mano between president and pitchman--a prescient tale if ever there were one.COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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