Shame! The United States and the Jews Quiz

Answer: Charles Coughlin

Coughlin was a popular radio broadcaster in the 30s. He was very vocal about his anti-Jewish feelings, and developed a large following. After one live broadcast in New York City, people left the building and marched down the street chanting "Send the Jews back where they came from in leaky boats."

Answer: The St. Louis

The St. Louis also tried to disembark passengers in Cuba, but only 22 refugees and eight other people were allowed off. The captain, though German, found himself trying to help these passengers. He eventually docked in Antwerp, Belgium. The Belgian government agreed to take in 214 people, France 224 people, and Britain 287. (Of course, most of those accepted by Belgium and France came under Nazi control in 1940 when these countries were invaded).

Answer: Breckenridge Long

Long opposed "excessive humanitarianism" and became personally distressed at the thought of more Jews entering the country. He reported to Roosevelt that increased emigration was "a bad idea". The matter was dropped.

Answer: Henry Ford

As late as 1939, Ford blamed "Jew bankers" for the start of the war. He published several books with his own money that were simply full of falsehoods and hatred. Hitler is said to have idolized him, just as Henry Ford admired Hitler.

Answer: North Dakota

Nye felt that America should stay out of any international conflict. He also tried to start a boycott of the movie industry. He was convinced that every film had some sort of "message" inserted by Jews, influencing American opinion in favor of Jewish causes. After the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor later in the year, Nye suddenly refused comment on his earlier views.

Answer: Ezra Pound

Pound was working and living in Italy, broadcasting for the Fascists. He also stated "You would do better to inoculate your children with typhus and syphilis" than to allow more Jews into the United States.

Answer: Greece

The Red Cross monitored the shipments, which continued for about three years. Germany kept her word and never touched the cargo, or fired on the transports. The operation cost the allied nations $30 million a year. The U.S. declined an offer to ship goods, through Jewish go betweens, to assist Jews in Europe. Prominent American Jews had set the groundwork for future assistance, and only needed the proper papers, and approval of the government.

It never came, and the operation died.

Answer: Romania

The U.S. did not even bother to acknowledge the offer. In fairness it should be noted that Romania did request a departure tax on each person leaving. The cost for this program would have been astonomical.
(The Romanian government of Antonescu was rabidly anti-Semitic).

Answer: Auschwitz

While Auschwitz was located close to a synthetic rubber plant, the U.S. Air Command felt that bombing the camp was was "impractical". Thanks to one of our History Editors, who has drawn attention to additional reasons. The Commander-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command, Arthur Harris, had said in 1944 that said that precision bombing of specific parts of the camp would be impractical.

He also noted the irony of Allied bombs killing inmates. However, many inmates report watching the bomber flights over the camp, and wishing that they would bomb the camp - not only to end their misery, but take a few Nazis with them.

It is a controversial issue that will be discussed for many years to come.

Answer: Dachau

A total of 37 or 39 SS men were executed around April 11, 1945,in Dachau. The U.S. Army, when made aware of the situation, stated it was against policy to harm prisoners of war. (I find this rather ironic.) The troops involved were threatened with prison sentences themselves, but the only punishment that appears to have been handed out was official letters of reprimand to be put in a soldiers permanent file. Later, once word of this spread, American troops were known to stand back and not interfere when former inmates beat guards.

They would often wait until the victim was near death, or already dead before they stepped in. Several other instances of this occuring at Auschwitz are mentioned by former prisoners, but because the Russian Army was the liberating force, many documents were never released to other allied forces. I think it goes without saying that liberating forces were not very gentle with guards found in the camps.

The United States Army also refused to discuss the matter after Nuremburg, saying it treated all prisoners in a "universally acceptable manner, in which we hope to have our prisoners treated."