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Ideas and Movements
America First Committee

The America First Committee (AFC) was organized in July 1940 to oppose America's potential intervention in World War II. Spokesman Charles A. Lindbergh argued that the only way to save the country was to stay out of a tragic war in Europe and concentrate on defending America's way of life. The AFC strongly opposed President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as his New Deal.

Soon after it was founded, the AFC became the most powerful isolationist group in the U.S. The AFC had four main principles:

  • The United States must build an invulnerable national defense
  • No foreign power, nor group of powers, can successfully attack an America that is prepared
  • American democracy can be preserved only by keeping out of the war in Europe
  • "Aid short of war" weakens national defense at home and threatens to involve America in war abroad.

    • The AFC influenced the public's opinion through various publications and speeches. Membership was strong, particulary in the Midwest. Within a year the organization had more 800,000 members.

    When Hitler invaded Poland in September 1939 and Britian and France declared war on Germany, Roosevelt maintained America's neutrality. However, within weeks, he urged Congress to remove an arms-sale restriction so that countries fighting the Axis powers could turn to the United States for matériel. The AFC strongly opposed that action, which compromised America's neutrality.

    Anti-AFC brochure cover

    The tide of public opinion was moving against isolationism and the committee was not able to prevent the reelection of Roosevelt in 1940. In addition, the Lend-Lease Act was passed in March 1941, which gave the President the power to sell, transfer, exchange, and/or lend equipment to any country to help it defend itself against the Axis powers.

    Some AFC members even suspected that Roosevelt had deliberately created a diplomatic crisis with Japan in order to provoke an attack and create public support for entering the war. An alleged Roosevelt Administration document known as "Rainbow Five," which clearly laid out plans for inciting an attack on America, was leaked to the press and published in numerous major newspapers just days prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

    The AFC was dissolved four days after the attack on December 7, 1941. Many leading right-wing members of the committee vowed to continue fighting for the principles of the America First Committee, and revived the America First Party during the war, but most members vowed to fully support the war effort.

    Off-site search results for "America First Committee"...

    America First Committee
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    America First Committee: Information From Answers.com
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    Charles Lindbergh's Noninterventionist Efforts & America First Committee
    Search for used books >> America First Committee Overview America First Committee, founded in September 1940, was the most powerful isolationist group in America before the United States entered World War II. It had over 8America First Committee Overview America First Committee, founded in September 1940, was the most powerful isolationist group in America before the United States entered World War II. It had over 8America First Committee, founded in September 1940, was the most powerful isolationist group in America before the United States entered World War II. It had over 800,000 members, who ...
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