[Homer_J_Simpson]

The din of the German radio and press in the next days [following Hitler’s October 6 Reichstag speech-Homer] was terrific. Italy and Japan had hailed the Fuhrer as the greatest peacemaker of all time. A mighty popular surge for peace was sweeping the West and the United States. But “Churchillian” warmongers were trying to stamp out this warm response of the peoples to the Fuhrer’s outstretched hand. If they succeeded, the most ghastly bloodbath of all time would follow, and history would know whom to blame.

. . . Into this confusing noise came an electric shock of news. A U-boat had sneaked into the British fleet anchorage in Scapa Flow at the northern tip of Scotland, had sunk the battleship Royal Oak, and had returned home safe!

News pictures showed the solemn fat-faced Fuhrer shaking the hand of Lieutenant Commander Prien, a nervous stiff young man with receding hair. The Nazi propaganda ministry foamed with ecstasy over the British Admiralty’s report that sadly praised Prien’s skill and daring. The writer was Churchill himself. Goebbels’s broadcasters said the sinking of the Royal Oak would prove a great boon to peace, since the Fuhrer’s “outstretched hand” proposal would now receive more serious considerations.

Herman Wouk, The Winds of War

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The initial discussion about the Sinking of the Royal Oak occurred on yesterday’s post. If you missed it here is a link.

Yesterday’s post

There are not many stories to day since the image quality is so poor.

Navy Loss is Heavy – 2-4
The International Situation – 3
Blockade Doomed, Elated Nazis Say – 5
Berlin Guns Roar to Fight Off Plane – 6
Danzig Nazi Demands Ousting of All Jews - 6

[BroJoeK]

LINDBERGH SPEECH
ASSAILED IN SENATE

Lundeen Stirs Storm by
Proposing That We Seize British
Islands in Caribbean

Washington Oct 14 -- "Senate debate on the Neutrality Bill today turned into a free-for-all discussion of colonel Lindbergh's radio speech last night, in the course of which three administration leaders charged him with inconsistency and, in one case, with substantive approval of "the brutal conquest of democratic countries."

"Senator Pittman, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said in a speech prepared as an analysis of Colonel Lindbergh's speech:

"The most unfortunate part of Colonel Lindbergh's statement is that it encourages the ideology of the totalitarian governments and is subject to the construction that he approves of their brutal conquest of democratic countries through war or threat of destruction through war."

The October 13 thread here posted the first few paragraphs of Lindbergh's speech -- the most reasonable sounding part, no doubt. After that, apparently, his speech went down hill.

The usual historical judgement on Lindbergh is that he was not just "isolationist," but really pro-Nazi. After the US entered the war, Lindbergh found a way to serve -- but in the Pacific, naturally.