Download What threat made even Lucky Lindy nervous

What threat made even Lucky Lindy nervous? Ever since his historic 1927 solo flight across
the Atlantic, Charles Lindbergh held a place as perhaps the greatest of all American heroes.
People admired him not just for his bravery but also for his knowledge about aviation. When he
spoke, people listened.
In the early days of World War II, Lindbergh was speaking a lot. Back in the United States
after several years living in Europe, the great American flying hero was working hard to keep the
country out of the war.
Getting involved in the fighting would be a disaster for the United States, Lindbergh argued.
We were safe here in the United States as long as we built our own defenses and minded our
own business, he claimed. Danger waited if we got mixed up in the bloody affairs of Europe.
There, Lindbergh argued, the mighty German nation, with its superior air force, was poised to win.
Lindbergh himself had inspected their aircraft and came away deeply impressed. He concluded
that lending support to Hitler’s foes was a lost cause that might end up costing us dearly.
Americans, Lindbergh insisted, should put “America first.” It must avoid giving in to the cries for
help from the British and the other doomed people of Europe.
Lindbergh was a powerful voice in American society. His message was well received by
millions of people, including many leading politicians. It would take one of the most shocking
events in American history to drown it out.