Good at giving a feeling for the early 30s in politics. Insight into Hoover’s outlook, FDRs associations w the very wealthy, and the deep business and social entanglements between upper class Americans and Germany.
Not bad summary of the progression of Weimar to the Social Nationalist or Nazi transition—good detail. I am certain the “right” in America has read this material and are following that script today in 2025.
Trump or his handlers have an ear worm from the All in the Family song “…we need a man like Herbie Hoover again…”
Nazi Brown Shirts and Hoovers clearing the BEF encampments, surely are scripts for the army and National Guard deployment in LA in 2025. See next paragraph—
New to me the Bonus Expedition Force encampment in Washington. Great insight on how the ruling classes see the “average American”: Ruthless and cold-hearted suppression under direction of, later stars of WW II and the 50s, Major Patton, major Eisenhower and General MacArthur. I keep digging for nuanced background on these people to explain later behaviour like Eisenhowers tolerance for CIA regime overthrows, covert lead up in Vietnam, or the Bay of Pigs, for example. The tolerance further of years of ruthless, inhumane and racist behaviour by the Dulles brothers; the 40-year reign of J Edgar Hoover at FBI; 30 years of Anslinger at the Bureau of Narcotics & the War on Drugs.
Better to know how this country really works. Better still to know Trump II is not an aberration. Just the same old.