Russia - September 1941, Time Magazine

Thanks for posting this, Lou. Interesting perspective. It really helps to explain just the situation that the USSR was in, with her economic districts cut off and having lost nearly all its industrial structure.

On a side note, it does kind of lessen the argument that America was isolationist before the war - by applying a situation happening on the other side of the world to the US, and publishing it in a nationally-distributed magazine. It seems to attempt to get the Americans to sympathize with the Soviets as well, another strike at isolationism.

 

I have a feeling that both positions expressed have validity, the isolationists might have been in the minority numerically, but they were very vocal and could put a bunch of celebrities on the podium. Lindbergh, et.al., and they also had powerful media backing in Henry Luce of the Time-Life magazine group, W.R.Hearst on the west coast, and of course McCormick in Chicago. All staunch Republicans and FDR haters.

The impression may have been that they were "stronger" than they really were, but when asked directly by pollsters the American public wasn't as "sympathetic" to their viewpoint.

 

I think the issue was always inflated to a size far greater than it was. When you look at US policy decisions and the public reactions - like the Trade Embargo on Japan, Lend-Lease Act, etc - it is clear that by this point the isolationist attitudes were minimal at the time.

Now, here's my problem with the issue. Some TV shows and a few books (up here in the wintery north anyway) like to claim how Pearl Harbor "snapped" the Americans out of the isolationist attitude - when items like the previously-mentioned policy items and media like the magazine article are contrary to this. Bottom line, I think isolationism was a very small movement that reached its peak in the 1920s/early 1930s. Yes, the isolationists had some "loud mouth celebrities" bantering on about it, but certainly it was almost non-existent by the 1940s when looking at the public as a whole. I think I should have made my point a bit clearer in my other post (maybe say "the myth of isolationism).

 

While you might be right in that point of view being too widespread, both in the common memory and re-enforced by history books in general. There is pretty good evidence that it most certainly "snapped" America out of its divided views and approaches to the Axis powers, and it most certainly "snapped" the Lindberghs, Wheelers, and that Catholic priest (forget how to spell his name) away from the isolationist position.

 

Right, that's the fella, just had a brain-cramp while I was typing! I have seen that picture too, and didn't Lindbergh try to re-join the Army to go to war? As I understand it FDR was instumental in keeping the Colonel on the outside looking in as far as the USAAF was concerned.

He did manage to get a civilian advisors job with Lockheed, and go to the PTO where he showed the pilots how to 'stretch' the range of their P-38s. I know he was credited with at least a few combat missions, where he was actively engaged by the Japanese. I have heard differing accounts of his actions, either he did shoot down at least one plane, or he didn't shoot down any. I don't much care one way or the other as per Col. Lindbergh's actions, but his range extending advice must certainly been of great value in the Yamamoto ambushing.

 

That collection of political cartoons from Dr. Seuss is also available online at:

Untitled Document

Funny stuff.