Charles Lindbergh was an aviator who broke records, dared to try flights than had never been tried before, and was a full-blown celebrity in the eyes of the American people in the
1930's and the 1940's. He was handsome, fearless, strong, and every American knew his name. In a time when celebrity was rarer than it is in 2013, Charles Lindbergh became every bit as famous as actors and politicians simply by being a talented aviator. However, over time, his status as a hero and celebrity faltered.
Charles Lindbergh first earned hero status by being the first pilot to fly from New York to Paris without making any stops. This occurred in 1927, after he had served the U.S. Army as a pilot. In 1927, flying this amount of time and distance…show more content…
Because he visited Germany and was so complimentary, Hitler awarded Lindbergh the Service Cross of the German Eagle for his contributions to aviation. By this point, rumors were spreading throughout the world about how the Nazis and Hitler were treating Jewish people, and Americans did not like the fact that Lindbergh was wearing this medal. Though the Lindberghs soon separated themselves from Germany, the damage had been done.
When he returned home to the United States, he made statement and gave speeches that further infuriated many Americans and especially Jewish Americans. He felt that America should absolutely not get involved in World War II and that Jewish people should be the most anti-war of all because they had the most to lose. ""Instead of agitating for war, Jews in this country should be opposing it in every way, for they will be the first to feel its consequences. Their greatest danger to this country lies in their large ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio and our government." (PBS.org) People felt that Lindbergh was avoiding war when American had a responsibility to fight for the people being persecuted by the Nazis. Lindbergh felt that the Nazi victory was inevitable, and people felt that was un- American of him as well.
Though in the years since the war, people have acknowledged that Lindbergh probably was not intentionally anti-Semitic and that
1930's and the 1940's. He was handsome, fearless, strong, and every American knew his name. In a time when celebrity was rarer than it is in 2013, Charles Lindbergh became every bit as famous as actors and politicians simply by being a talented aviator. However, over time, his status as a hero and celebrity faltered.
Charles Lindbergh first earned hero status by being the first pilot to fly from New York to Paris without making any stops. This occurred in 1927, after he had served the U.S. Army as a pilot. In 1927, flying this amount of time and distance…show more content…
Because he visited Germany and was so complimentary, Hitler awarded Lindbergh the Service Cross of the German Eagle for his contributions to aviation. By this point, rumors were spreading throughout the world about how the Nazis and Hitler were treating Jewish people, and Americans did not like the fact that Lindbergh was wearing this medal. Though the Lindberghs soon separated themselves from Germany, the damage had been done.
When he returned home to the United States, he made statement and gave speeches that further infuriated many Americans and especially Jewish Americans. He felt that America should absolutely not get involved in World War II and that Jewish people should be the most anti-war of all because they had the most to lose. ""Instead of agitating for war, Jews in this country should be opposing it in every way, for they will be the first to feel its consequences. Their greatest danger to this country lies in their large ownership and influence in our motion pictures, our press, our radio and our government." (PBS.org) People felt that Lindbergh was avoiding war when American had a responsibility to fight for the people being persecuted by the Nazis. Lindbergh felt that the Nazi victory was inevitable, and people felt that was un- American of him as well.
Though in the years since the war, people have acknowledged that Lindbergh probably was not intentionally anti-Semitic and that
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