Charles Lindbergh—an imperfect hero with many faults

Today is 9/11, a day will also live in infamy in modern time.  Another less well known event is today (September 11) in 1941, less than 3 months before Pearl Harbor attack, Charles Lindbergh told an America First (an American isolationist movement in pre-WWII era) rally in Des Moines, Iowa, “the British, the Jewish and the Roosevelt administration” were pushing the United States toward war.

In a letter-to-the-editor on 6/12/12 Wall Street Journal (see photo), the writer defended Lindbergh regarding a statement in a book review that Lindbergh had a “crush on Adolf Hitler and Hermann Goering.” What he wrote was correct in that the trip was encouraged by the FDR administration.  But, it is also my impression that Lindberghs (both Charles and Anne) did have a “crush on Hermann Goering” (not on Hitler, though); Anne Lindbergh wrote with admiration on their meeting with Goering, and that was after Anne’s editor asked her to “tone down” her praise.

10/1938

FDR wouldn’t let Lindbergh serve in the Air Force after the war broke out.  He later did fly combat mission (not as a pilot) in the Pacific theater.


Against Wind and Tide was published earlier this year; it was Anne Lindbergh’s letters and diaries 1947-1986.  It was published by her daughter as Anne passed away in 2001.  It revealed what kind of husband Charles was: leaves a lot to be desired.  He was a hero with many faults.