Defend America First: The Antiwar Editorials of the Saturday Evening Post, 1939-1942Caxton Press, 2003 - 285 pages In 1939 much of the world was at war. In the United States, President Franklin D. Roosevelt believed America eventually would be forced to join the conflict. F.D.R. worked to rally citizens and Congress to the cause. But not everyone agreed with the president's beliefs or methods. In many respects Roosevelt's situation was very similar to problems faced by recent American presidents, including the present administration. Garet Garrett, editorial writer for the Saturday Evening Post magazine, was one of the most articulate spokesmen for the "America First" movement that argued against the nation's escalating involvement in the war in Europe. Defend America First is a collection of Garrett's editorials questioning F.D.R.'s decision to move the nation toward war. The editorials were selected by Bruce Ramsey. In his introduction, Ramsey points out that Garrett wasn't unwilling to fight Hitler. He was unwilling to pick a fight, especially when the country wasn't ready. He also questioned the constitutionality of Roosevelt's actions. |
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Page 8
... Question ( 3.8.41 ) 181 That World Feeling ( 7.19.41 ) Whose America ? ( 10.25.41 ) 184 186 CHAPTER TEN : COUNTRY 191 But Let That Dream Return ( 6.14.41 ) 191 Many Planes ( 7.26.41 ) 195 Harvest Notes ( 7.26.41 ) 197 CHAPTER ELEVEN ...
... Question ( 3.8.41 ) 181 That World Feeling ( 7.19.41 ) Whose America ? ( 10.25.41 ) 184 186 CHAPTER TEN : COUNTRY 191 But Let That Dream Return ( 6.14.41 ) 191 Many Planes ( 7.26.41 ) 195 Harvest Notes ( 7.26.41 ) 197 CHAPTER ELEVEN ...
Page 11
... questions presented themselves . In October 2002 , Congress granted the war power to President Bush , though he had said two months before that he had the power already . If the president had it already , there was a ques- tion of how ...
... questions presented themselves . In October 2002 , Congress granted the war power to President Bush , though he had said two months before that he had the power already . If the president had it already , there was a ques- tion of how ...
Page 12
... questions . Are we at war ? For what shall Americans fight ? Who shall decide ? If the president decides , what does that tell us about the sort of government we have ? That debate ended at Pearl Harbor . Today the memo- ries of World ...
... questions . Are we at war ? For what shall Americans fight ? Who shall decide ? If the president decides , what does that tell us about the sort of government we have ? That debate ended at Pearl Harbor . Today the memo- ries of World ...
Page 17
... question was whether to fight for Britain . There is no argument here about fighting for China , and only one chapter about aid to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics . When the interventionists won the argument for aid to Britain ...
... question was whether to fight for Britain . There is no argument here about fighting for China , and only one chapter about aid to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics . When the interventionists won the argument for aid to Britain ...
Page 18
... question . It assumes that American interests are secondary to " world " interests— and that is not an assumption most people made in 1940 . If Americans then could have been shown the postwar future at a price of 290,000 American dead ...
... question . It assumes that American interests are secondary to " world " interests— and that is not an assumption most people made in 1940 . If Americans then could have been shown the postwar future at a price of 290,000 American dead ...
Contents
Invitation | 23 |
Design for Freedom November 11 1939 | 31 |
That of Our Own March 23 1940 | 35 |
The Call | 41 |
Will We Do It? July 6 1940 | 47 |
Quo Vadis? July 13 1940 | 52 |
There is a Star July 20 1940 | 56 |
While Yet There Is Time to Think Sept 7 1940 | 61 |
Now One War Aim April 12 1941 | 164 |
The Case for Unity April 26 1941 | 166 |
The Peril May 24 1941 | 170 |
In Defense of the People May 31 1941 | 175 |
Global Dream | 181 |
That World Feeling July 19 1941 | 184 |
Whose America? October 25 1941 | 186 |
Country | 191 |
On Going to War October 19 1940 | 66 |
Sacrifice | 75 |
The Mental Bottleneck September 14 1940 | 80 |
The Spirit Would September 21 1940 | 85 |
Conscription September 28 1940 | 89 |
The State | 97 |
Your Government October 12 1940 | 102 |
Within the Form October 26 1940 | 108 |
Consent | 115 |
Burma Road November 9 1940 | 120 |
Meanings | 127 |
And America January 4 1941 | 129 |
If England Should Yield January 25 1941 | 134 |
Definition February 1 1941 | 136 |
The AndAmericans February 1 1941 | 139 |
Smearing February 15 1941 | 141 |
Unity February 22 1941 | 143 |
Reminder | 147 |
Last Stand | 155 |
Toward the Unknown March 29 1941 | 159 |
Many Planes July 26 1941 | 195 |
Harvest Notes July 26 1941 | 197 |
Comrades | 201 |
Playing the Red November 8 1941 | 207 |
Confidence | 213 |
The False Fear Theme September 6 1941 | 217 |
Maneuvers | 223 |
Government by Consent September 20 1941 | 228 |
Declaration of the Atlantic September 27 1941 | 232 |
The Drift October 11 1941 | 235 |
Eleventh Hour | 241 |
Total Taxation December 11 1941 | 246 |
Review December 20 1941 | 248 |
Unity | 253 |
Censorship January 24 1942 | 256 |
Afterword | 261 |
The Mortification of History | 267 |
Sources | 281 |
283 | |
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