Synopses & Reviews
In 1940, after the fall of France, Truman Smith and Charles Lindbergh were denounced as Nazi sympathizers and charged with deliberately exaggerating the strength of the Luftwaffe to discourage America from resisting Hitler's demands. Such charges are still heard today. This volume consists of three unpublished documents from the Truman Smith papers in the Hoover Institution archives: Smith's memoirs; an account of his 1922 interviews with German political leaders, including the then obscure Adolf Hitler; and Smith's commentary on Lindbergh's visits to Germany and his reports to Washington. These documents will enable readers to judge Smith's patiotism and help resolve the controversy surrounding his name.
Synopsis
Truman Smith is a controversial figure in American military history, chiefly because of his activities as military attache in Berlin between 1935 and 1939. His job was to report on the growing military strength of Germany, but his sources of information on the Lutwaffe were unreliable. He enlisted the aid of Charles Lindbergh, and their reports to Washington chronicled Hitler's increasing ability to wage an air war.
About the Author
Robert Hessen, a Senior Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, is a historian specializing in American economic and business history.