Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Rise of Fascism

Historian and author William I. Hitchcock argues that Americans were not simply indifferent to the rise of fascism before World War II. From Mussolini’s rise in 1922 to Pearl Harbor in 1941, the nation engaged in intense debates over the threat—and appeal—of authoritarianism. Initially focused on the New Deal and avoiding foreign conflicts, Franklin D. Roosevelt gradually recognized fascism’s dangers. Influenced by journalists, advisers, and activists, he helped build a coalition committed to defending democracy, human rights, and freedom worldwide.