Genocide Project

 The following is a chapter-by-chapter summary of “FDR and the Jews” by Richard Breitman and Allan J. Lichtman:

• Introduction: Four Roosevelts: The authors outline four distinct phases of FDR’s presidency regarding Jewish issues, shifting from a “bystander” in his first term to an “activist” in his second, followed by a focus on “security” during early war years, and a “revived interest” in rescue late in the war.
• Chapter 1: The Rise and Fall of FDR: Details Roosevelt’s upbringing and early political career, noting that while he grew up in a patrician environment where anti-Semitism was common, his parents instilled a sense of religious tolerance and humanitarianism.
• Chapter 2: FDR Returns: Focuses on Roosevelt’s political comeback after contracting polio and his navigation of ethnic politics in New York, including his 1928 gubernatorial victory over a Jewish opponent, Albert Ottinger.
• Chapter 3: The Democrat and the Dictator: Examines the early 1933 overlap of FDR’s first inauguration and Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, detailing FDR’s initial public silence on Nazi persecution to focus on domestic economic recovery.
• Chapter 4: Immigration Wars: Discusses the internal administration battles between the Labor and State Departments over easing visa restrictions for refugees, with restrictionist State Department officials largely prevailing.
• Chapter 5: Transitions: Analyzes the political realignment of the mid-1930s, where Jews became a bedrock of the Roosevelt coalition despite his relative inaction on European Jewish peril.
• Chapter 6: Moving Millions?: Covers the activation of FDR’s refugee policy in 1938, including the convening of the Evian Conference and his first major personal initiatives to facilitate large-scale Jewish resettlement.
• Chapter 7: Resettlement in Latin America?: Explores the administration’s efforts to find havens for Jews in Latin American countries like Bolivia and the Dominican Republic, and details the SS St. Louis crisis.
• Chapter 8: Toward War: Describes the narrowing of rescue possibilities as Europe moved toward war in 1939 and the failure of the Wagner-Rogers bill to admit 20,000 refugee children.
• Chapter 9: Tightened Security: Details how the outbreak of war in Europe led to a “spy mania” that prompted the administration to further restrict immigration and prioritize internal security over humanitarian rescue.
• Chapter 10: Wartime America: Examines the early years of U.S. involvement in World War II, during which the administration avoided appearing to fight a “Jewish war” while information about the “Final Solution” began to reach the West.
• Chapter 11: Debating Remedies: Focuses on the 1943 Allied response to evidence of the Holocaust, including the Bermuda Conference, which produced few practical results for rescue.
• Chapter 12: Zionism and the Arab World: Analyzes FDR’s complex relationship with the Zionist movement and his attempts to balance Jewish aspirations in Palestine with the need for Arab cooperation during the war.
• Chapter 13: The War Refugee Board: Details the 1944 creation of the War Refugee Board after the Treasury Department exposed State Department obstructionism, marking a significant shift toward active rescue efforts.
• Chapter 14: Negotiations and Rescue in Hungary: Examines the specific rescue efforts for Hungarian Jews late in the war, including the mission of Raoul Wallenberg and the controversial decision not to bomb Auschwitz.
• Chapter 15: Endings: Covers Roosevelt’s final months, including his meeting with King Ibn Saud and his enduring but unfulfilled hope to resolve the Palestine question before his death in 1945.
• Chapter 16: Perspectives: Offers a concluding synthesis of FDR’s record, arguing that he was neither a callous bystander nor a perfect hero, but a politician whose actions saved more Jewish lives than any other world leader of his era.

  The book, titled “FDR and the Jews,” is authored by Richard Breitman and Allan J. Lichtman.

Main Subject

The book provides a comprehensive historical examination of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s (FDR) relationship with the Jewish people and his administration’s evolving policies toward European Jewry before and during the Holocaust.

Key themes and areas of focus include:

• A Nuanced Historical Perspective: The authors challenge the two historical extremes—that FDR callously abandoned the Jews or that he did everything possible to rescue them. They portray him as a “cunning politician” who was often constrained by the practical and political realities of his era, such as domestic anti-Semitism, isolationism, and the demands of total war.
• Four Distinct Phases of Policy: The book details four chronological phases of FDR’s approach to Jewish issues, showing how his actions shifted based on the changing conditions of his presidency:
  1. First Term (Bystander): Focused on domestic economic recovery and avoided ethnic antagonism.
  2. Second Term (Activist): Loosened immigration restrictions and promoted ambitious resettlement plans.
  3. Early War Years (Security Focus): Prioritized internal security and the defeat of Hitler’s armies over specific Jewish rescue efforts.
  4. Late War Years (Revived Interest): Created the War Refugee Board and pursued postwar resettlement plans.
• Rescue and Resettlement Initiatives: The text explores various international efforts to aid refugees, including the Evian Conference, plans for resettlement in Latin America (such as Bolivia and the Dominican Republic), and the creation of the War Refugee Board late in the war.
• Palestine and Zionism: The authors analyze FDR’s evolving views on a Jewish homeland in Palestine, his interactions with both Zionist and Arab leaders, and his attempts to balance these competing interests while managing wartime strategy.
• Comparative Context: The book places FDR’s actions within a broader historical context, comparing his responses to those of other world leaders of his time and subsequent American presidents facing humanitarian crises.

  Based on the provided text, an analysis of “FDR and the Jews” by Richard Breitman and Allan J. Lichtman reveals a nuanced historical examination that challenges long-standing polarized views of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s (FDR) relationship with the Jewish people during the Holocaust era.

Central Thesis

The authors argue that FDR was neither a callous bystander who abandoned the Jews nor a perfect hero who did everything possible to save them. Instead, they portray him as a “cunning politician” who maneuvered within the constraints of domestic anti-Semitism, isolationism, and the immense pressures of both the Great Depression and World War II.

The “Four Roosevelts” Analytical Framework

The book’s analysis is structured around four distinct chronological phases of FDR’s policy, showing a president who adapted his approach as circumstances changed:

• First Term (Bystander): Focused almost exclusively on domestic economic recovery, FDR largely ignored Nazi persecution and avoided ethnic antagonism to protect his political coalition.
• Second Term (Activist): Following his 1936 landslide reelection, FDR became more proactive, loosening immigration restrictions and initiating international efforts like the Evian Conference.
• Early War Years (Security Focus): From 1939 to 1943, FDR prioritized national security and a swift military victory, fearing that appearing to fight a “Jewish war” would empower isolationists.
• Late War Years (Revived Interest): In late 1943, under pressure from the Treasury Department and evidence of the “Final Solution,” FDR shifted again, creating the War Refugee Board and planning for postwar resettlement.

Key Areas of Analysis

• Immigration and Bureaucracy: The book analyzes the internal “wars” between the liberal Labor Department (advocating for refugees) and the restrictionist State Department. It highlights how officials like Breckinridge Long used security concerns to “postpone and postpone” visa approvals.
• The War Refugee Board (WRB): The WRB is analyzed as a late but significant instrument of rescue that, despite being underfunded and opposed by the State and War Departments, likely helped save up to 200,000 lives.
• Controversial Inactions: The authors provide a detailed analysis of why FDR did not admit the passengers of the SS St. Louis or order the bombing of Auschwitz. They argue these decisions were driven by legal restrictions, military priorities, and political pragmatism rather than indifference.
• Palestine and Zionism: The book explores FDR’s attempt to balance support for a Jewish homeland with the strategic need for Arab cooperation and oil access, describing his final, unsuccessful efforts to reconcile these interests during meetings with King Ibn Saud.

Conclusion of the Authors

Breitman and Lichtman conclude that while FDR’s record was flawed by caution and delays, “Roosevelt reacted more decisively to Nazi crimes against Jews than did any other world leader of his time”. They estimate that his collective policies—from loosening pre-war visas to creating the WRB—helped save more than 300,000 Jewish lives.