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I came across another interesting FDR quote from Charles De Gaulle that you may be interested in.
General de Gaulle wrote:
"President Roosevelt's conceptions appeared to me grandiose, as disquieting for Europe as for France. It was true that the isolationism of the United States was, according to the President, a great error now ended. But passing from one extreme to another, it was a permanent system of intervention which he intended to institute by international law. In his mind, a four-power directory - America, Soviet Russia, Great Britain, and China - would rule upon the problems of the universe. A parliament of the United Nations would give a democratic appearance to the power of the 'Big Four.' But, unless they delivered to the discretion of three of them the quasi-totality of the earth, such an organization, according to him, would have to involve the installation of American forces on bases in all the regions of the world, of which certain ones would be chosen on French territory."
"Finally Roosevelt counted on luring Stalin, into an ensemble which could contain his ambitions and where America will be able to muster good will. Among the 'Four', he knew that the China of Chiang Kai-shek needed his agreement, and that the British, sure to lose their Dominions, must bend themselves to his policy. As for the throng of medium-sized and small states, he would be in a position to act on them through foreign aid. Finally, the right of peoples to decide for themselves, the support offered by Washington, the existence of American bases were going to give birth in Africa, Asia and Australia to new sovereignties which would increase the number of states under obligation to the United States. In a similar perspective, questions proper to Europe, notably the fate of Germany, the destiny of the countries along the Vistula, Danube, the Balkans, the future of Italy seemed to him merely subordinate. In order to find a happy solution for them, he would assuredly not sacrifice the monumental conceptions of his dreams."
"I listened to Roosevelt describe his projects to me. How human it was for the desires of power to clothe themselves in idealism."
I can't directly identify the source of the original quote. I found it in Lawrence Dennis's 1969 book "Operational Thinking For Survival" (Ralph Myles Publisher Inc, Colorado Springs 1969) pages 91-92. Dennis's doesn't seem to have further citation information about it.
Thanks for the talk it was great.
thanks!
Wow! I need to track that down.
It isn't so new anymore. He is Patrick Hearden and the book is Roosevelt Confronts Hitler. See here.
If you can look past some of Hearden's dubious economic theories, the book sheds much valuable light on the motivations of U.S. policymakers. It runs against the grain of just about anything you have read on WWII.
What was the name of the book David mentioned on the Scott Horton interview program? David recommended a new revisionist history of WW2.
Agreed. As far as WW2 and FDR was concerned I coincidentally came across the following footnote that may be of interest.
By coincidence I have come across the following quote detailed in JOSEPH E. PERSICO’s “ROOSEVELT’S SECRET WAR. FDR AND WORLD WAR II ESPIONAGE.” Random House NY 2002
Quote from Page 219-220 “After the North African landings, succeeded, the President went to Casablanca and, in a meeting with the French resident general at Rabat, delivered an astonishing opinion. “The number of Jews engaged in the practice of the professions- law, medicine etc.- should be limited to the percentage that the Jewish population in North Africa bears to the whole of the North African population, ” he urged. “This plan would further eliminate the specific and understandable complaints which the Germans bore towards the Jews in Germany, namely, that while they represented a small part of the population, over fifty percent of the lawyers, doctors, school teachers, college professors, etc, in Germany were Jews.” He had echoed the rationale that the Nazis had carried to barbaric limits.”
Persico’s cited source for this is p.308, Francis L. Loewenheim, Harold D. Langley, and Manfred Jonas, eds., ROOSEVELT AND CHURCHILL: THEIR SECRET WARTIME CORRESPONDENCE New York: Saturday Review Press / Dutton 1975.
If Charles Lindbergh had said this I am sure it would be repeated ad nauseum ever since.
Agreed. As far as WW2 and FDR was concerned I coincidentally came across the following footnote that may be of interest.
By coincidence I have come across the following quote detailed in JOSEPH E. PERSICO’s “ROOSEVELT’S SECRET WAR. FDR AND WORLD WAR II ESPIONAGE.” Random House NY 2002
Quote from Page 219-220 “After the North African landings, succeeded, the President went to Casablanca and, in a meeting with the French resident general at Rabat, delivered an astonishing opinion. “The number of Jews engaged in the practice of the professions- law, medicine etc.- should be limited to the percentage that the Jewish population in North Africa bears to the whole of the North African population, ” he urged. “This plan would further eliminate the specific and understandable complaints which the Germans bore towards the Jews in Germany, namely, that while they represented a small part of the population, over fifty percent of the lawyers, doctors, school teachers, college professors, etc, in Germany were Jews.” He had echoed the rationale that the Nazis had carried to barbaric limits.”
Persico’s cited source for this is p.308, Francis L. Loewenheim, Harold D. Langley, and Manfred Jonas, eds., ROOSEVELT AND CHURCHILL: THEIR SECRET WARTIME CORRESPONDENCE New York: Saturday Review Press / Dutton 1975.
If Charles Lindbergh had said this I am sure it would be repeated ad nauseum ever since.
What was the name of the book David mentioned on the Scott Horton interview program? David recommended a new revisionist history of WW2.
Pull no punches! Attack the left, right, warmongerings and authoritarians everywhere!