Was FDR an Antisemite?

[Votto]

Based on recently discovered documents, The Jews Should Keep Quiet reassesses the hows and whys behind the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration's fateful policies during the Holocaust. Rafael Medoff delves into difficult truths: With FDR's consent, the administration deliberately suppressed European immigration far below the limits set by U.S. law. His administration also refused to admit Jewish refugees to the U.S. Virgin Islands, dismissed proposals to use empty Liberty ships returning from Europe to carry refugees, and rejected pleas to drop bombs on the railways leading to Auschwitz, even while American planes were bombing targets only a few miles away--actions that would not have conflicted with the larger goal of winning the war. What motivated FDR? Medoff explores the sensitive question of the president's private sentiments toward Jews. Unmasking strong parallels between Roosevelt's statements regarding Jews and Asians, he connects the administration's policies of excluding Jewish refugees and interning Japanese Americans. The Jews Should Keep Quiet further reveals how FDR's personal relationship with Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, American Jewry's foremost leader in the 1930s and 1940s, swayed the U.S. response to the Holocaust. Documenting how Roosevelt and others pressured Wise to stifle American Jewish criticism of FDR's policies, Medoff chronicles how and why the American Jewish community largely fell in line with Wise. Ultimately Medoff weighs the administration's realistic options for rescue action, which, if taken, would have saved many lives.

 

[Polishprince]

Did Roosevelt condemn the Holocaust when it was happening on his watch? I don't remember seeing that he did.

Holocaust Denial is a prima facie case that FDR was a raving anti-semite

 

[lennypartiv]

MS St. Louis - Wikipedia

 

[DudleySmith]

Fake news. Some of his closest advisors were Jews. Beleive it or not, Jews are not the Center Of The Universe, despite what they tell you, and many more millions were killed in the war besides Jews. Shocking news to some, but true.

The U.S. also has zero obligation to become the rest of the planet's dumping ground for their 'refugees', real or imagined, especially during a major Depression, also shocking news to many dopers and Burb Brats. The fact is FDR did allow German Jews a higher quota allotment than others equally deserving of refugee status.

Why ANY immigration was allowed during a major Depression is what should be criticized. Major companies were still having to give English language lessons to many of their factory workers right up to WW II.

 

[Lisa558]

MS St. Louis - Wikipedia

Can you imagine how those poor Jewish souls on the St. Louis felt? Despised and persecuted in Europe, and fleeing for their lives, only to be met with such bigotry on these shores that FDR chose to send them back to Hitler than allow more Jews in the country.

The despair on the return trip must have been beyond description. Unwanted and sentenced to hell just because of their religion, even in America. To call it heartbreaking is an understatement.

Full disclosure: In my family, I know of one great-grandmother, a great-aunt and uncle, and their four children who were slaughtered. There were many others.

 

[LeftofLeft]

I think a lot of Democrats in the WW2 era at a minimum, were not supportive of Jews. Many Democrats were not keen on removing Hitler. Even though the Democrat Party was dominated by the South and was the Party of Segregation, Jews were enamored by the progressiveness (eg State welfare) and shared immigrant experiences of Northern Democrats (eg Irish, Italians).

“Jews earn like Episcopalians but vote like Puerto Ricans” - Milton Himmelfarb.

This quote about sums it up. To this day, many American Jews earn and live lifestyles like wealthy WASP Republican blue bloods yet they vote Democrat.
Then, like now, Jews are willing to overlook anti-Jewish policies and views held by Democrats.

Mind-boggling.

 

[Lisa558]

I think a lot of Democrats in the WW2 era at a minimum, were not supportive of Jews. Many Democrats were not keen on removing Hitler. Even though the Democrat Party was dominated by the South and was the Party of Segregation, Jews were enamored by the progressiveness (eg State welfare) and shared immigrant experiences of Northern Democrats (eg Irish, Italians).

“Jews earn like Episcopalians but vote like Puerto Ricans” - Milton Himmelfarb.

This quote about sums it up. To this day, many American Jews earn and live lifestyles like wealthy WASP Republican blue bloods yet they vote Democrat.
Then, like now, Jews are willing to overlook anti-Jewish policies and views held by Democrats.

Mind-boggling.

Not ALL Jews, but I agree….it’s mind-boggling. In most cases, the more observant Jews are Republican and the more secular Jews are Democrats.

 

[DudleySmith]

Can you imagine how those poor Jewish souls on the St. Louis felt? Despised and persecuted in Europe, and fleeing for their lives, only to be met with such bigotry on these shores that FDR chose to send them back to Hitler than allow more Jews in the country.

The despair on the return trip must have been beyond description. Unwanted and sentenced to hell just because of their religion, even in America. To call it heartbreaking is an understatement.

Full disclosure: In my family, I know of one great-grandmother, a great-aunt and uncle, and their four children who were slaughtered. There were many others.

So snivel about Cuba and the other hundreds of countries who refused entry. The U.S. already had taken in literally millions of Jewish refugees by the 1930's. Your sniveling is just ridiculous narcissism, typical of racist whining. You really beleive the sub-human goy are obligated to pander to every whim some Jewish person has.

 

[LeftofLeft]

Based on recently discovered documents, The Jews Should Keep Quiet reassesses the hows and whys behind the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration's fateful policies during the Holocaust. Rafael Medoff delves into difficult truths: With FDR's consent, the administration deliberately suppressed European immigration far below the limits set by U.S. law. His administration also refused to admit Jewish refugees to the U.S. Virgin Islands, dismissed proposals to use empty Liberty ships returning from Europe to carry refugees, and rejected pleas to drop bombs on the railways leading to Auschwitz, even while American planes were bombing targets only a few miles away--actions that would not have conflicted with the larger goal of winning the war. What motivated FDR? Medoff explores the sensitive question of the president's private sentiments toward Jews. Unmasking strong parallels between Roosevelt's statements regarding Jews and Asians, he connects the administration's policies of excluding Jewish refugees and interning Japanese Americans. The Jews Should Keep Quiet further reveals how FDR's personal relationship with Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, American Jewry's foremost leader in the 1930s and 1940s, swayed the U.S. response to the Holocaust. Documenting how Roosevelt and others pressured Wise to stifle American Jewish criticism of FDR's policies, Medoff chronicles how and why the American Jewish community largely fell in line with Wise. Ultimately Medoff weighs the administration's realistic options for rescue action, which, if taken, would have saved many lives.

Not ALL Jews, but I agree….it’s mind-boggling. In most cases, the more observant Jews are Republican and the more secular Jews are Democrats.

Agreed. Thank you for the clarification. As a Catholic, I see the same pattern among fellow Catholics. In both cases, it is mind boggling.

 

[DudleySmith]

I think a lot of Democrats in the WW2 era at a minimum, were not supportive of Jews. Many Democrats were not keen on removing Hitler. Even though the Democrat Party was dominated by the South and was the Party of Segregation, Jews were enamored by the progressiveness (eg State welfare) and shared immigrant experiences of Northern Democrats (eg Irish, Italians).

“Jews earn like Episcopalians but vote like Puerto Ricans” - Milton Himmelfarb.

This quote about sums it up. To this day, many American Jews earn and live lifestyles like wealthy WASP Republican blue bloods yet they vote Democrat.
Then, like now, Jews are willing to overlook anti-Jewish policies and views held by Democrats.

Mind-boggling.

Jews were big fans of Christian bashing leftists and anarchists. Many only became 'conservatives' after the 1960's, and only as far as being pro-monopolists and Wall Street was freed from any restrictions on swindling and Ponzi scheme operations. Many of them are still mad that some rich drunk Episcopalians didn't want to play golf with them at their country clubs, is all. German Jews are especially butt hurt they get lumped in with those filthy polish Jews.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

Roosevelt was presented with an abysmal choice, admit the Jews, whose numbers were known to be inflated by Germans looking to infiltrate the US, or, put the safety of the homeland first. He was an American president. America came first.

Bombing the railroad lines to the concentration camps looks good only in hindsight. No one even knew there were such camps. The German people didn't know. The Russians were the first to discover the camps.

Roosevelt is only blamed for not taking an anti American position because we can't imagine a president today putting Americans well being above anyone else. We are admitting millions of invaders and know that the numbers are infiltrated by criminals and gang members. It's okay. As Bribery Biden says "It's who we are."