It’s hard to believe, but once upon a time Americans were against fighting other country’s wars.
America did not enter World War I until 1917, a whole three years after the war began largely because of the isolationist sentiments. These feelings continued into 1941, where they came to a head Jan. 23. And on this day in history, the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh testified before Congress against the Lend-Lease Bill
The Lend-Lease Bill, was a program President Franklin D. Roosevelt engineered that supplied the Allies with materials needed to wage war against the Axis powers from 1941 to 1945. This act ended the United State’s façade of neutrality and went directly against the America First Committee that Charles Lindbergh was the spokesman of. America First was an anti-war group and it was perhaps the largest anti-war organization in the history of America.
Lindbergh had lived in Europe since the conclusion of the trial of the kidnapper of his son. During his time in Europe, Lindbergh became close with the German air force. He dined with Herman Goring and other top ranking German officials – He was presented with the Service Cross of the German Eagle on behalf of Adolf Hitler for his historic 1927 trans-Atlantic flight and his services to aviation.
All of his interactions with the Germans contributed to his Congressional testimony. He argued that the United States should enter into a neutrality pact with Germany and was publicly criticized by Roosevelt for his remarks. Lindbergh was not successful in his suit against the Lend-Lease Bill and resigned from the Air Corps Reserve several months later.
On Jan. 23, the Comprehensive Plan Task Force met at City Hall, the JV boy’s basketball team traveled to O’Fallon to play Francis Howell Central, but 959 miles away and 71 years ago, Charles Lindbergh fought a losing battle.