Roosevelt, running for an unprecedented third term, and talented republican businessman wendell. Wendell lewis willkie 18921944 find a grave memorial. The surprise republican candidate was maverick businessman. Lewis recounts willkie s prescient views of the postwar world as well as his staunch civil rights advocacy.
Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitlerthe election amid the storm susan dunn. Willkie is noted for putting the country before party. Willkies nomination neutralized much republican opposition to fdrs war preparations and was crucial to the narrow congressional approval of conscription. Williams college historian susan dunn discusses her book, 1940. The united states presidential election of 1940 was fought in the shadow of world war ii as the united states was emerging from the great depression. Roosevelt fdr, a democrat, broke with tradition and ran for a third term, which became a major issue. Masterful retelling of the pivotal election of 1940which the republican challenger nearly won. A look at the behindthescenes intrigue that catapulted unknown wendell willkie to head the republican ticket in 1940 and guaranteed fdr an unprecedented third term.
He appeared to be a phenom who had had his one shot and been speedily extinguished. Wendell lewis willkie was an american lawyer, corporate executive and the 1940 republican nominee for president. Susan dunn, a prolific and outstanding historian, has crafted a fastpaced, serious, and extraordinarily wellresearched book about the events surrounding the pivotal 1940 election. But as his namesakegrowing up in his rushville, indiana, home, still fresh with his memories, surrounded by those who knew him intimately as. The audiobook tells an inspiring story of the triumph of american democracy in a world reeling from fascist barbarism, and it offers a compelling alternative scenario to todays hyperpartisan political arena, where common ground seems unattainable. Her main charactersfdr, wendell willkie, lindbergh, hitlercome brilliantly to life. Charles mcnary of oregon his running mate in the 1940 presidential election. The lost internationalism of wendell willkie the nation. Hailed as the definitive biography of wendell willkie irwin f. Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitler the election amid the storm di dunn, susan. Wendell willkie lost the 1940 presidential election but became one of americas most effective ambassadors, embarking on a sevenweek plane trip to bolster the allied cause.
Wendell willkie ran against fdr in the 1940 election and, of course, lost. The spellbinding story of the roosevelt willkie election season, when bitterly divided americans debated the fate of the nation and the world in 1940, against the explosive backdrop of the nazi onslaught in europe, two farsighted candidates for the u. How willkie ran, lost and helped win the war the new york times. Willkie defeated fellow republican thomas dewey to secure the nomination but lost in a landslide to president roosevelt during the general election. Jeffries, the author of two previous books on wartime politics and society, emphasizes how domestic considerations shaped the 1940 election. Harvard magazine harvard magazine dunn superbly depicts the 1940 election between roosevelt, who was seeking an unprecedented third term, and his internationalist republican opponent, wendell willkie. The book tells an inspiring story of the triumph of american democracy in a world reeling from fascist barbarism, and it offers a compelling alternative scenario to. Profile of and interview with charles peters, founder of washington monthly, whose new book is entitled five days in philadelphia. Oct 06, 2018 wendell willkie is littleremembered now. A thoroughly researched biography of a remarkable figure.
Wendell willkie is a model for postpartisanship the atlantic. Willkie appealed to many convention delegates as the republican fields only interventionist. United states presidential election of 1940 united. Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitler the election amid the storm is a fascinating account of the events leading up to the 1940 presidential election. At a time when america first is again a rallying cry, willkies message of international friendship and peaceful engagement provides a reminder that the united. There is a 3x5 black and white picture showing willkie with several prominent nebraskan politicians. That is one of the questions that david levering lewis asks in his insightful, disciplined biography of the 1940 republican candidate for president, wendell willkie. How willkie ran, lost and helped win the war the new.
Roosevelt sharply rebuked an aide for making a derogatory quip about wendell willkie, roosevelts republican challenger in the 1940 election. His democratic opponent, incumbent president franklin d. Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitlerthe election amid the. Republican presidential candidate in 1940 who tried unsuccessfully to unseat president franklin d. The book tells an inspiring story of the triumph of american democracy in a world reeling from fascist barbarism, and it offers a compelling alternative scenario to todays hyperpartisan political arena, where common. Wendell willkie was the republican candidate for president in 1940. Particularly notable were his drives to rein in franklin roosevelts new deal, advance civil rights and set up a system for postwar geopolitical governance. The contest for the 1940 republican presidential nomination was wideopen. The 1940 republican national convention was held in philadelphia, pennsylvania, from june 24 to june 28, 1940.
Richard moe, in his book on the 1940 election, suggested that the nomination of willkie left longlasting scars on the republican party, with conservatives angered by the success of its eastern establishment wing. Roosevelt, running for an unprecedented third term, and talented republican businessman wendell willkie. A third term for fdr is a judicious study of the 1940 election in which an unusually popular president pursued a controversial third term as global conflict loomed. But on november 5, 1940, willkie came away with just ten states and fortyfive per cent of the vote. An american program by wendell willkie 1944 pamphlet. With the backdrop of the start of world war ii susan relates historical facts in a fast paced narrative. Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitler the election amid the. He subsequently became identified with his famous one world concept of international cooperation. There is a new book out about which everyone should know, written by twotime pulitzer prize winning author david levering lewis, called the improbable wendell willkie the business man.
Additionally, his outspokenness against franklin roosevelt and the new deal garnered national attention leading to a movement to nominate him as a presidential candidate for the 1940 election. American studies scholar at brown chronicles the lost. To the fury of his partys leadership, he turned those words into action. The book tells an inspiring story of the triumph of american democracy in a world reeling. Brown university many americans may remember wendell willkie as the republican presidential candidate who lost to franklin d. Lewis shows in the improbable wendell willkie, the 1940 election wasnt the only time that willkie startled america into new thinking. Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitlerthe election amid the storm by.
Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitler the election amid the storm. Although first consideration suggests the book will provide a comprehensive narrative of this pivotal election contest, 1940. Jul 25, 2005 profile of and interview with charles peters, founder of washington monthly, whose new book is entitled five days in philadelphia. In 1940, against the explosive backdrop of the nazi onslaught in europe, two f. Dunns gripping book shows us that the further we get from 1940, the more. The improbable wendell willkie audiobook by david levering. David levering lewiss book, the improbable wendell willkie, is aptly. Nov 27, 20 1940 not only explores the contest between fdr and willkie but also examines the key preparations for war that went forward, even in the midst of that divisive election season.
This collection also has a large visual element in series 2. Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitlerthe election amid the storm by susan dunn yale univ. Wendell willkie, a midwestern businessmanturnedrepublican politician, fought for desegregation, workers rights, and small government in his 1940 bid for president. Newyork historical society wendell willkie, the 1940. Jun 17, 2016 willkies nomination neutralized much republican opposition to fdrs war preparations and was crucial to the narrow congressional approval of conscription.
Republican candidates newspaper editor and owner frank ganne. Vandenberg of michigan, senator robert taft of ohio and manhattan district attorney thomas e. The spellbinding story of the rooseveltwillkie election season, when bitterly divided americans debated the fate of the nation and the world in 1940, against the explosive backdrop of the nazi onslaught in europe, two farsighted candidates for the u. Roosevelt, running for an unprecedented third term, and talented republican businessman wendell willkie found themselves on the defensive against american isolationists and their charismatic spokesman charles lindbergh, who called for surrender to. United states presidential election of 1940, american presidential election held on nov. I think that what is going on in the country today pointed out some key items about willkie that might have gone unnoticed in the prior biographies. A gripping narrative of the dramatic 1940 contest for the white house. Lewis recounts willkies prescient views of the postwar world as well as his staunch civil rights advocacy.
The election of 1940 fdr, willkie, lindbergh and hitler. The election amid the storm 1st edition 1st printing hardcover new york yale university press 20 near fine in a. Roosevelt, won the 1940 election with about 55% of the popular vote and took the electora. Only a select few know that willkie was much more than a wouldbe president. The presidential election of 1940 is well remembered as being one of the most crucial elections in american history, and rightfully. By becoming the first president to win a third term, roosevelt broke the twoterm precedent established by the countrys first president, george washington. Gellman, the improbable wendell willkie offers an engrossing and enlightening appraisal ira katznelson of a prominent businessman. Roosevelt, running for an unprecedented third term.
Jul 27, 20 and i, i, i must say that your book, 1940 about willkie and even about lindbergh and hitler and their relationship in analyzing the campaigns and the election is one of the most interesting. But as his namesakegrowing up in his rushville, indiana, home, still fresh with his memories, surrounded by those who knew him intimately as well as. Wendell willkie, in full wendell lewis willkie, also called wendell l. But after losing he taught that it is essen susan dunns book, 1940. It nominated wendell willkie of new york for president and senator charles mcnary of oregon for vice president. Where the war was concerned, wendell willkie told the 1940 republican convention, we here are not republicans alone, but americans. The first of the books five chapters provides necessary background on roosevelt, the new deal, and democratic party politics in the 1930s, but in the second chapter, on the republican partys nomination of wendell willkie, jeffries hits his stride. Jun 04, 20 in 1940, against the explosive backdrop of the nazi onslaught in europe, two farsighted candidates for the u. Had hitler refrained from blitzkrieg one more year the nation may very well have tired of fdr and president willkie would have chosen in office on pearl harbor day. And i, i, i must say that your book, 1940 about willkie and even about lindbergh and hitler and their relationship in analyzing the campaigns and the election is one of the most interesting. The election was contested in the shadow of world war ii in europe, as the united states was emerging from the great depression. Fdr, willkie, lindbergh, hitlerthe election amid the storm. In this dramatic account of that turbulent and consequential election, historian susan dunn brings to life the debates, the highpowered players, and the dawning awareness of the nazi threat as the presidential candidates engaged in their own battle for supremacy.
Willkie, born february 18, 1892, elwood, indiana, u. Roosevelt in the 1940 election, handing fdr an unprecedented third term. Professor lewis provides a new biography of willkie. The book tells an inspiring story of the triumph of american democracy in a world reeling from fascist barbarism, and it offers a compelling alternative scenario to todays hyperpartisan political arena, where common ground seems unattainable. The spellbinding story of the rooseveltwillkie election season, when bitterly divided. David levering lewiss book, the improbable wendell willkie, is aptly titled. The election of 1940 and the mighthavebeen that makes. Post election, willkie and fdr became close allies, and after he returned from a factfinding trip to europe at fdrs request, willkie became a strong interventionist.
Wendell willkie campaigning during the 1940 presidential election. Dunn superbly depicts the 1940 election between roosevelt, who was seeking an unprecedented third term, and his internationalist republican opponent, wendell willkie. Roosevelt defeated republican businessman wendell willkie to be reelected for an unprecedented third term in office. T he 1940 election unfolded against the grim spectacle of war in europe, including the blitzkrieg, the fall of france, and the first sorties in the battle of britain.
The election amid the storm 1st edition 1st printing hardcover new york yale university press 20 near fine in a near fine dust jacket. Willkie for president wendell willkie campaign pin button. New book on willkie highlights rushville connection. Susan dunn in 1940, against the explosive backdrop of the nazi onslaught in europe, two farsighted candidates for the u.
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