Awakening the Spirit of America: FDR's War of Words With Charles Lindberghand the Battle to Save Democracy

(Hardback)

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A dramatic narrative that brings President Roosevelt, his allies, and his adversaries to life during his fight to transform America from an isolationist bystander into the worlds first superpower.

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. For years the president had warned that Hitlers 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. Newly elected Prime Minister Winston Churchill pleaded with Roosevelt to send arms and supplies to Britain as they fought for their very survival.

The situation was dire. Drawing on his popularity after leading the country out of the Great Depression and his skill as an inspiring speaker, FDR advocated unwavering support for England to a war-weary nation.

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 FDRs policies. Millions listened to his 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 Lindberghs Nazi followers as he led the radical America First Committee in an effort to prevent Roosevelt from saving Englandand the world.

Awakening the Spirit of America reveals how Roosevelt overcame the forces aligned against him in a war against fascism. As Paul Sparrow, former director of the FDR Presidential Library, brilliantly shows, FDR's triumph of leadership was by no means a foregone conclusion. Ultimately, Roosevelts 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 a global superpower. Awakening the Spirit of America provides a riveting, inside account of FDRs ultimate victory over American isolationists and provides vital insight into American history and an iconic president.

Reviews

"Democracy is a fragile thing, as todays headlines make clear.Awakening the Spirit of America, Paul M. Sparrows vivid, blow-by-blow account of the fateful struggle between a great president and a fatally flawed national hero, shows how grateful we should be for Franklin Roosevelts canniness and courage, his ability to marshal the English language in freedoms cause, and his unshakable belief that in a world threatened by tyranny, the American people had a crucial role to play." * Geoffrey Ward, author ofA First-Class Temperament: The Emergence of Franklin Roosevelt, andClosest Companion: The Unknown Story of the Intimate Friendship Between Franklin Roosevelt and Margaret Suckley,and the Ken Burns PBS documentary, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History. *
Paul SparrowsAwakening the Spirit of Americabrilliantly highlights FDRs desperate struggle to prepare Americans for the fight with fascism.Sparrow makes superb use of FDRs own words to tell this important story.The blend of scholarship and readabilityplaces Sparrow with Robert Caro and Doris Kearns Goodwin in the top ranks of popular historians." * Dr. Elliot Sumers, authorof Operation Storm King *
"An impeccably researched and intimate narrative of the events leading up to America's participation in World War II, especially the highly consequential rivalry between nativismand democracy that still echoes in today's harrowing political climate. Awakening the Spirit of Americaadds new and important information in the highly traveled road of FDR biography." * Dr. Steven Lomazow, author FDRs Deadly Secrets and FDR Unmasked *
"Powerfullyportrays the political genius of FDR as he confronted global authoritarian forces, which had taken root in America, threatening the essence of democratic ideals and democratic aspirations. Sparrow, breathing life into one of the most critical periods in American history, clearly makes the case that FDRs wisdom and international leadership in his day offers guidance in todays struggle with anti-democratic forces both domestic and foreign." * Michael Zuckerman, former USA TODAY Washington Editor, investigative reporter, and author of Vengeance is Mine *
"A truly suspenseful history. Sure, we know President Franklin Roosevelt prevailed against the isolationists, antisemites, and Nazi sympathizers of the America First Committee and rallied Americans to defend democratic life against the ambitions and forces of Hitler, Mussolini, and the Japanese Imperialists. But Sparrow makes us critically aware of how FDR had to first pursue battles against the Committee's popular champion Charles Lindberghand how things might have gone otherwise had FDR faltered. Sparrow makes clear to us the power of FDR's words, the words that reminded Americans of who they were and what they had to do." * HarveyJ. Kaye,Professor Emeritusof Democracy and Justice at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay andauthor of The Fight for the Four FreedomsandFDR on Democracy *

Author Bio

Paul M. Sparrow is a writer, historical consultant, and the former Director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Before moving to the FDR Library he was the Deputy Director and Senior Vice President at the Newseum in Washington, DC. He is also anEmmy Award-winning documentary and television producer for Discovery, TLC, Fox, and PBS. He began his broadcasting career at KPIX, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco. A graduate of UCSanta Cruz, Sparrow also has an MFA from the Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College.