ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Final//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<title> World War II -- isolantionists individuals Henry Ford </title></head>

<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">

<meta name="title" content=" isolantionists individuals Henry Ford " >

<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/imagef/gif/faviconh.ico">
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/imagef/gif/faviconh.ico">

<META NAME="Description" CONTENT=" One of the most important American industrialists was Henry Ford. He became noted for paying workers a decent wage, but hated
labor unions. He was also a pacifist and against war as well as a virulent anti-Semite. [Baldwin] He sponsored a peace expedition to Europe during World War I (1915). The Europeans of course did not take him seriously and the mission was a complete failure. Once America entered the War, his company became a leading producer of ambulances, airplanes, munitions, tanks, and submarine chasers.  Ford had said he would not profit from the War. In fact he profited greatly. He ran as a Democrat for the Senate, but was defeated (1918). Ford took a paternalistic attitude toward his employees and tried to control their lives. [Wik] He hired thugs who attacked trade unionists and Ford was the last major U.S. corporation to accept collective bargaining. Ford joined the isolationists as Europe moved toward War. Ford had a range of reasons for joining the isolationists. He did oppose war in general as he had shown during World war I. He did not see Hitler as a great threat and his anti-Semitism helped excuse NAZI barbarities. Ford in fact received a medal from the Führer. Another reason was his hatred of Franklin Roosevelt which began early. (Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration has opposed Ford's peace expedition.) Ford developed a relationship with Charles Lindbergh. Both passionately believed that the United States should stay not get involved in the European war and even aid Britain.  Ford joined the America First National Committee (1940). Not all American Firsters were pleased about this as Ford was such a controversial figure. The AFC was concerned about being labeled anti-Semitic. Ford's anti-union reputation was also not helpful to the movement. The AFC thus voted to cancel his membership. We know that Ford and Lindbergh discussed the Jews in their private conversations. [Collier and Horowitz, p. 205.] Some believed that Lindbergh's speech for the America Firsters in Des Moines, Iowa during which he identified the Jews as one of the groups trying to drag America into the War. After Pearl Harbor and the dissolution of the American First Committee, Ford offered Lindbergh, who had lost much of his popularity, a job with his company. Lindbergh accepted the offer. Again after Pearl Harbor, Ford Motors played an important role in the American war effort. Ford retired after the War (1945).  With photos and text. ">

<META NAME="KeyWords" CONTENT="America, United States, American, Henry Ford, Ford, Ford Motor Company, boy, boys, children, girl, girls, economics, isolationists, isolationism, Anti-Semites, Anti-Semutism, Nazi, Nazi-support, Soviet industry,  history, historical, fashion, World War II, SEcond World War, First World War, World War I, Charles Lindbergh, American Firsters, American Fiest Committee, ">

</HEAD>


<BODY BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#FFFF00" LINK="#FF0000" ALINK="#FFFF00" VLINK="#99CCFF">

<br>
<br>
<img src="/imagef/gif/cih-pur.png">
<br>
<br>
<HR>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>

<center><h1>Individual Isolationists:  Henry Ford</h1></center>

<table border="0" cellpadding="20" width="35%" align="left">
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>
        <table border="5" width="100%" align="left" bgcolor=##7f00ff" bordercolor="FFFF00"  >
          <tbody>
            <tr>
              <td>
<img src="/image/HBC image????s.jpg">  
<hr>
<i>Figure 1.--</i>
              </td>
            </tr>
          </tbody>
        </table>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<p> One of the most important American industrialists was Henry Ford. He became noted for paying workers a decent wage, but hated
labor unions. He was also a pacifist and against war as well as a virulent anti-Semite. [Baldwin] He sponsored a peace expedition to Europe during World War I (1915). The Europeans of course did not take him seriously and the mission was a complete failure. Once America entered the War, his company became a leading producer of ambulances, airplanes, munitions, tanks, and submarine chasers.  Ford had said he would not profit from the War. In fact he profited greatly. He ran as a Democrat for the Senate, but was defeated (1918). Ford took a paternalistic attitude toward his employees and tried to control their lives. [Wik] He hired thugs who attacked trade unionists and Ford was the last major U.S. corporation to accept collective bargaining. Ford joined the isolationists as Europe moved toward War. Ford had a range of reasons for joining the isolationists. He did oppose war in general as he had shown during World war I. He did not see Hitler as a great threat and his anti-Semitism helped excuse NAZI barbarities. Ford in fact received a medal from the Führer. Another reason was his hatred of Franklin Roosevelt which began early. (Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration has opposed Ford's peace expedition.) Ford developed a relationship with Charles Lindbergh. Both passionately believed that the United States should stay not get involved in the European war and even aid Britain.  Ford joined the America First National Committee (1940). Not all American Firsters were pleased about this as Ford was such a controversial figure. The AFC was concerned about being labeled anti-Semitic. Ford's anti-union reputation was also not helpful to the movement. The AFC thus voted to cancel his membership. We know that Ford and Lindbergh discussed the Jews in their private conversations. [Collier and Horowitz, p. 205.] Some believed that Lindbergh's speech for the America Firsters in Des Moines, Iowa during which he identified the Jews as one of the groups trying to drag America into the War. After Pearl Harbor and the dissolution of the American First Committee, Ford offered Lindbergh, who had lost much of his popularity, a job with his company. Lindbergh accepted the offer. Again after Pearl Harbor, Ford Motors played an important role in the American war effort. Ford retired after the War (1945).
<br>
<h2>American Industrialist</h2>
<p> One of the most important American industrialists was Henry Ford. He became noted for paying workers a decent wage, but hated
labor unions. He was also a pacifist and against war as well as a virulent anti-Semite. [Baldwin]
<br>
<h2>World War I</h2>
<p> Ford sponsored a peace expedition to Europe during World War I (1915). The Europeans of course did not take him seriously and
the mission was a complete failure. Once America entered the War, his company became a leading producer of ambulances, airplanes,
munitions, tanks, and submarine chasers. Ford had said he would not profit from the War. In fact he profited greatly.
<br>
<h2>Senate Run</h2>
<p> Ford ran as a Democrat for the Senate, but was defeated (1918).
<br>
<h2>Soviet Operations</h2>
<p> Henry Ford is best known for the Model "T" Ford and the mass production of automobiles. He also produced the Fordson tractor
which provided low-cost utility vehicles to American farmers. Ford negotiated a major contract for these tractors with the Soviet
Union immediately after World War I (1919). The Soviets became Ford's most important foreign client. The Soviets purchased over
24,000 Fordson tractors (1921-27). Ford help the Soviets open the Leningrad plant "Red Putilovite" (@0A=K9 CB8;>25F) (1924). The
plant produced Fordson-Putilovets ($>@47>=-?CB8;>25F) tractors. Like their American versions, these tractors were both inexpensive
and rugged. They became widely used throughout the Soviet Union. They were used on the new collective farms. The Soviets used
images of the tractors in their propaganda (posters , paintings, postage stamps, etc.) to show how the Communists were modernizing
Russia. The Ford Motor Company received a contract to provide technical assistance for the giant tractor plant in Stalingrad--The
Traktorostroi. In effect, the United States was helping to build Soviet industry.
<br>
<h2>German Involvement</h2>
<p>He was well thought of in both the Soviet Union and NAZI Germany.  The Germans liked him because of his anti-Semitism, even
publishing anti-Semitic tracts.  He was an early financial backer of the NAZIs. [<i>New York Times</i>, December 20, 1922.]  
Testimony at Hitler's 1924 trial after the Beer Hall Putch revealed, "Herr Hitler openly boasts of Mr. Ford's support and praises
Mr. Ford as a great individualist and a great anti-Semite. A photograph of Mr. Ford hangs in Herr Hitler's quarters, which is the
center of monarchist movement." [U.S. State Department]  The NAZIs awarded Ford the Grand Cross of the German Eagle-- a NAZI medal
given to distinguished foreigners (August 1938). [<i>New York Times</i>, August l, 1938.] He was the first American to receive the
honor.  The occasion was Ford's 75th birthday.  Ford was shaken by the storm of criticism and met with a Detroit Rabbi to say he
was sympathetic toward the suffering of German Jews and to deny he supported the NAZIS.  [<i>New York Times</i>, December 1, 1938.] 
Secretary of Interior Harold Ickes. Ickes criticized both Ford and fellow isolationist  Charles A. Lindbergh for accepting NAZI
awards. [<i>New York Times </i>, December 19, 1938.]  Congress after World war II investigating charges of American support for the
NAZI war effort.  They found that the NAZIs obtained considerable U.S. technical and financial assistance.  One of the areas of support were provided by Ford-Werke A.G.  The company assisted the NAZIs in obtaining rubber and other critical war
materials during 1938 and 1939. [Congressional subcommittee.]  Ford-Werke when war broke out placed itself at the disposal of the
Wehrmacht for arms contracts.  One report suggested that Ford officials in Germany quarreled over who would control Ford operations
in England after the NAZI invasion.
<br>
<h2>Labor Management Relations</h2>
<p> Ford took a paternalistic attitude toward his employees and tried to control their lives. [Wik] He hired thugs who attacked
trade unionists and Ford was the last major U.S. corporation to accept collective bargaining.
<br>
<h2>Business and War</h2>
<p> Ford was a vicious anti-Semite. He despised Jews, bankers, and unions. And wrote hate-filled pamphlets linking all three.  He
seemed to have associated Jews and bankers,  This association seems to come wholly from his stereotypical image.  Jews in America did not have a major role in banking.  He also seems to have picked up the idea that American business was involved in getting America into World War I and profiteered during the War.  Many companies did profit from the War--few more tn Ford Motors.  Ford told a <i>New York Times</i> reporter, "  There is a constructive and a destructive Wall Street." and "... if these financiers had their way we'd be in a war now. They want war because they make money out of such conflict   out of the human misery that wars bring."  [<i>New York Times</i>, June 4, 1938.] Only Ford did not explain how much Ford Motors had benefited from World War I and how Ford was involved in projects in America, France, Germany, and the Soviet Union--posed to benefit no mater how the war turned out in Europe.  
<br>
<h2>Isolationists</h2>
<p> Ford joined the isolationists as Europe moved toward War. Ford had a range of reasons for joining the isolationists. He did
oppose war in general as he had shown during World War I. He did not see Hitler as a great threat and his anti-Semitism helped
excuse NAZI barbarities. Ford in fact received a medal from the Führer. Another reason was his hatred of Franklin Roosevelt which
began early. (Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Wilson Administration has opposed Ford's peace expedition.) Ford
developed a relationship with Charles Lindbergh. Both passionately believed that the United States should stay not get involved in
the European war and even aid Britain. Ford joined the America First National Committee (1940). Not all American Firsters were
pleased about this as Ford was such a controversial figure. The AFC was concerned about being labeled anti-Semitic. Ford's anti-
union reputation was also not helpful to the movement. The AFC thus voted to cancel his membership. We know that Ford and Lindbergh
discussed the Jews in their private conversations. [Collier and Horowitz, p. 205.] Some believed that Lindbergh's speech for the
America Firsters in Des Moines, Iowa during which he identified the Jews as one of the groups trying to drag America into the War.
<br>
<h2>World War II</h2>
<p> After Pearl Harbor and the dissolution of the American First Committee, Ford offered Lindbergh, who had lost much of his
popularity, a job with his company. Lindbergh accepted the offer. Again after Pearl Harbor, Ford Motors played an important role in
the American war effort. Ford retired after the War (1945).
<br>
<h2>Sources</h2>
<p> Baldwin, N. <i>Henry Ford and the Jews</i> (2001).
<p> Collier, Peter and David Horowitz. <i>The Fords: An American Dynasty</i> (New York: Summit Books, 1987).
<p> Congressional subcommittee. <i>Elimination of German Resources</i>, p. 656-58.
<p> Roman, Meredith. "Racism in a  Raceless  Society: The Soviet Press and Representations of American Racial Violence at Stalingrad in 1930," <i>International Labor and Working-Class History</i> (Cambridge University Press) Vol. 71 (March 2007), pp. 185-203.
<p> U.S. State Department Decimal File, National Archives Microcopy M 336, Roll 80, Document 862.00S/6, "Money sources of Hitler," a report from the U.S. Embassy in Berlin.
<p> Wik, R. M. <i>Henry Ford and Grass-Roots America</i> (1970). ]
<p> <i>New York Times</i> (December 20, 1922).
<p> <i>New York Times</i>, (June 4, 1938).
<p> <i>New York Times</i> (August l, 1938).
<p> <i>New York Times</i> (December 1, 1938).
<p> <i>New York Times</i> (December 19, 1938).
<br>
<br>
<br>
<HR>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<CENTER>
<H1>CIH -- WW II</H1>
<P>
<A HREF="/email.html"><img src="/imagef/mail1.gif"></A><BR>
</CENTER><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<center>
<p><i>Navigate the CIH World War II Section:<br>
[Return to the <a href="/bio/f/bio-fordh.html">Henry Ford biograhy</a>]<br>
[Return to the <a href="/essay/war/ww2/cou/us/iso/iso-ind.html">Main individual isolationist page</a>]<br>
[Return to the <a href="/essay/war/ww2/cou/us/usiso-pr.html">Main World War II American isolation and FDR page</a>]<br>
[Return to the <a href="/essay/war/com/sov/stalin/scs-si.html">Main Stalingrad incident page</a>]<br>
[Return to the <a href="/essay/war-ww2.html">Main World War II page</a>]<br>
[<a href="/aboutus/aboutus.html">About Us</a>]<br>
<b>[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/ww2-bio.html">Biographies</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war-ww2c.html">Campaigns</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/child/wc-ww2.html">Children</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/cou/ww2-cou.html">Countries</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/var/ww2-df.html">Deciding factors</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/dip/ww2-dip.html">Diplomacy</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/over/ww2-crisis.html">Geo-political crisis</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/ww2-eco.html">Economics</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/home/ww2-home.html">Home front</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/code/ww2-int.html">Intelligence</a>]<br>
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/ww2-pow.html">POWs</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/ww2-res.html">Resistance</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/race/ww2-rac.html">Race</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/ref/ww2-ref.html">Refugees</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/ww2-tech.html">Technology</a>]
[<a href="/essay/war/ww2/tol/ww2-tol.html">Totalitarian powers</a>]
<br>
[<a href="/bib.html">Bibliographies</a>]
[<a href="/cont/contm.html">Contributions</a>]
[<a href="/faq.html">FAQs</a>]
[<a href="/cont/image.html">Images</a>]
[<a href="/link.html">Links</a>]
[<a href="/cont/contr.html">Registration</a>]
[<a href="/index2at.html">Tools</a>]
<br>
[Return to <a href="/essay/war-ww2.html">Main World War II page</a>]<br>
[Return to <a href="/essay/war.html">Main war essay page</a>]<br>
[Return to <a href="/cih.html">CIH Home page</a>]<br>
</b>
</center>
<br>

<br>
<br>
Created:   11:31 PM 12/7/2007<br>
Spell checked:  6:54 PM 5/6/2015<br>
Last updated:  6:54 PM 5/6/2015
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<img src="/imagef/gif/cih-pur.png" align=right>
<br>
<br>
</body>
</HTML>