Franklin Delano Roosevelt on Fascism
Aristotle’s law of non-contradiction states that contradictory propositions cannot both be true. For example, it can’t be both raining and not raining in the same sense at the same time.
Another example: given that democratic socialism and fascism are contradictory to one another, “The U.S. is becoming a democratic socialist country” and the U.S. is becoming a fascist country” cannot both be true.
Republicans say the former is true, where lots of people argue the opposite.
I can’t tell you who’s right, but I can tell you: a) They can’t both be correct, and b) Above we read what FDR said on the subject, which, I would assert, is food for thought.
Craig,
Alternatively, neither may be completely true, while it’s possible for both to be potentially, or partly true ! 🙂
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a very complex man and politician.
In common with many great men, he had a dark side which his friends, acolytes and supporters kept well hidden.
Like many hero’s FDR had his “feet of Clay” which became more evident the longer he remained in office, consolidated power and felt less accountable.
Toward the end of his Presidency his mental and physical health had deteriorated dramatically and his personality had undergone a profound change.
Had the nation not been at war and the President’s health kept such a secret, it’s doubtful he would have gained a forth term.
FDR was a late convert to opposing Fascism. In the 1930’s FDR was an admirer of the methods and policies of Mussolini and Franco.
His Executive Order 9066, confined 120,000 Japanese expatriates and American citizens of Japanese ancestry into internment camps while their properties were seized.
The language employed by FDR to justify this cruelty, would today be considered outrageously racist.
The great US athlete Jesse Owens, corrected the myth that Hitler had snubbed Owens by refusing to shake his hand, as something that never happened.
Owens was offended to discover he was the only gold medalist not be invited to the White House or even sent a telegram. A member of the white house staff later observed the President took great care never to be near, or allow black staff to touch him.
FDR refused to support a Republican proposals anti-lynching bill that would have made lynching a federal crime.
FDR is the only President to appoint a member of the KKK to be a Justice on the US Supreme Court.
Perhaps the greatest of FDR’s “crimes” was his support for the infamous “Morgenthau Plan”. By 1944 Roosevelt’s personality had for Morganthau and his soviet-spy assistant, H. White, is not typical of FDR’s earlier behavior.
Herbert Hoover, Gen George Marshal, Secretary of War Henry Stimson and FDR”S closest and longest serving colleague, Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, became deeply alarmed and concerned at the President’s mood swings.
This group became so alarmed at the President’s seemingly gloating delight in Morgantau’s Plan, a plan which if implemented would tarnish the US forever, and cost thousands more American lives.
When confronted, FDR guiltily denied the plan, but when questioned by Hull and Stimson, with Stimson saying sternly “”Mr. President, I don’t like you to dissemble to me, for once, let us have the truth of the matter! ”
Stimson insisted FDR listen as he read back what the President had signed. FDR broke down, claiming he had ” no idea how he could have initialed such a plan”.
Morganthau and White always maintained the President was an equal partner in devising the plan, even gloating at the knowledge 40% of German civilians would perish from starvation (including over 600,000 children) if the plan was implemented.
White further claimed, and advanced his diary notes as evidence, that FDR stated such a fate was “deserved by the German people”.
Hull and Stimson were horrified to learn that FDR after a conference with Morganthau, once again issued a press statement;.
“Too many people here and in England hold the view that the German people as a whole are not responsible for what has taken place – that only a few Nazis are responsible. That unfortunately is not based on fact. The German people must have it driven home to them that the whole nation has been engaged in a lawless conspiracy against the decencies of modern civilization ”
The method was to be the infamous JCS1067.
Fortunately, the President died and without his support, the Morganthau plan died also, but not before killing many Americans and Germans needlessly.
After being sworn in, Truman who detested Morganthau, forced his resignation as Treasury Secretary.
Even in 1937, FDR tried to “pack” the Supreme Court in defiance of the Constitution.
The US Constitution is a very strong document and US political institutions are very strong and stable.
There will always be those who cry “wolf” or make hysterically exaggerated claims. In reality, the US is most unlikely to adopt the folly of “Democratic Socialism” or became enamored with the equally repugnant attractions of Fascism.