Fighting Fascism ... In 1943?

In 1943, the War Department published a series of pamphlets for U.S. Army personnel in World War II. On March 24, 1945, the topic for the week was “FASCISM!” [THIS IS NOT FROM ME - IT IS FROM THE US DEPT OF WAR WHO FOUGHT HITLER'S NAZIS AND MUSSOLINI'S FASCISTS] The US War Department explained,

Fascism is not the easiest thing to identify and analyze... Nor, once in power, is it easy to destroy. It is important for our future and that of the world that as many of us as possible understand the causes and practices of fascism, in order to combat it. is government by the few and for the few. The objective is seizure and control of the economic, political, social, and cultural life of the state....The people run democratic governments, but fascist governments run the people. The basic principles of democracy stand in the way of their desires; hence—democracy must go! Anyone who is not a member of their inner gang has to do what he’s told. They permit no civil liberties, no equality before the law.

Fascists make their own rules and change them when they choose…. They maintain themselves in power by use of force combined with propaganda based on primitive ideas of ‘blood’ and ‘race,’ by skillful manipulation of fear and hate, and by false promise of security. The propaganda glorifies war and insists it is smart and ‘realistic’ to be pitiless and violent.

The fundamental principle of democracy—faith in the common sense of the common people—was the direct opposite of the fascist principle of rule by the elite few. Fascists fight democracy…. They play political, religious, social, and economic groups against each other and seize power while these groups struggle.

Americans should not be fooled into thinking that fascism could not come to America. We once laughed Hitler off as a harmless little clown with a funny mustache. Fascists may try to take power in the United States under the guise of ‘super-patriotism’ and ‘super-Americanism.’

The only way to stop the rise of fascism in the United States, is by making our democracy work and by actively cooperating to preserve world peace and security. In the midst of the insecurity of the modern world, the hatred at the root of fascism fulfills a triple mission:

- By dividing people, it weakens democracy.

- By getting men to hate rather than to think, it prevents them from seeking the real cause and a democratic solution to the problem.

- By falsely promising prosperity, it lures people to embrace its security.

Fascism thrives on indifference and ignorance. Being alert and on guard against the infringement not only of our own freedom but the freedom of every American. If we permit discrimination, prejudice, or hate to rob anyone of his democratic rights, our own freedom and all democracy is threatened.

Credit to historian Heather Cox Richardson. You can read her insightful newsletters here:

https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com