Insidious Foes - The Axis Fifth Column and the American Home Front

Zusatztext Carefully researched and documented, this work offers an interesting historical view of an emotional and tense time in our history. A valuable source for those interested in World War II or in spy and espionage activities. Klappentext In this book! Francis MacDonnell examines the origins and consequences of America's Fifth Column panic and its manifestations in political and cultural life. He argues that conviction and expedience encouraged President Roosevelt! the FBI! Congressmen! Churchill's government! and Hollywood to legitimate and exacerbate Americans' fears. Gravely weakening the isolationists! fostering Congress's role in rooting out Un-American activities! and instigating the creation of the modern intelligence establishment! the Fifth Column scare did far more than sell movie tickets! comic books! and pulp fiction. Insidious Foes traces the panic from its foundation! as reasonable Americans saw the vulnerability of their open society to encroaching totalitarianism. Probing the intersections between domestic politics! popular culture! and foreign policy! MacDonnell provides a glimpse of a crucial moment in the history of American anxiety. Zusammenfassung The book explores the "case of national jitters" that occurred in the United States in the years 1938 to 1942 about the existence of a German fifth column movement, and how the government and citizens exaggerated what was actually a modest German effort.

Product details

• Authors: Francis Macdonnel, Francis MacDonnell, Francis (Assistant Professor of Histor Macdonnell, Francis (Assistant Professor of History MacDonnell, MacDonnell Francis
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 02.11.1995
• EAN: 9780195092684
• ISBN: 978-0-19-509268-4
• No. of pages: 256
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; Non-fiction book > History; USA, European History, HISTORY / Military / General, HISTORY / Europe / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Intelligence & Espionage, HISTORY / United States / 20th Century, HISTORY / Military / United States, Second World War, United States of America, USA, c 1938 to c 1946 (World War Two period), Espionage & secret services, History of the Americas, Modern warfare, c 1919 to c 1939 (Inter-war period), Espionage and secret services, c 1939 to c 1945 (including WW2), c 1918 to c 1939 (Inter-war period), HISTORY / Wars & Conflicts / World War II / General