Awakening the Spirit of America

Description

Awakening the Spirit of America
by Paul M. Sparrow

ISBN: 9781639366675
Hardcover, new

Brief Description:
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 world’s 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 Hitler’s 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 FDR’s 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
Lindbergh’s Nazi followers as he led the radical America First Committee in
an effort to prevent Roosevelt from saving England—and 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, Roosevelt’s
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 FDR’s ultimate victory over
American isolationists and provides vital insight into American history and
an iconic president.