"Get to know Lindbergh and his complex legacy" Topic

Oct – Apr: This fall and winter, Charles Lindbergh House and Museum invites you to come learn more about the complex legacy of one of Minnesota's most famous citizens. At Snapshot Saturdays, held from 1-3 pm on the second Saturday of each month from October to April, visitors can explore an aspect of Charles Lindbergh's life, including his early years and family life; the historic transatlantic flight; the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr.; and Lindbergh's involvement with Germany and the America First movement before WWII. And until Sep 25, the site is open Fridays and Saturdays – stop in and tour the grounds and historic home while you can!

mnhs.org/calendar?s=8447

Never mind his incredible achievement of a solo flight across the Atlantic (and this was a true crossing from the Continental USA to Continental Europe, and solo).

Being an isolationist was understandable in the early 40s (thank God FDR was not) and the USA may be going the same way for equally understandable (but just as scary) reasons right now.

But do not forget his anti Semitic speeches. I am not confusing this with anti modern Israel, as do so many critics, I mean against "Jewish influence" in US policy.

He was a brave man with some fairly unpleasant opinions by modern standards of decency.

He was a brave man with some fairly unpleasant opinions by modern standards of decency.

He, along with many of his time, harbored what seems today a most irrational belief that 'the Jews' were involved in a global conspiracy involving big money. Combined with a form of racism, in which Lindbergh saw the U.S. and European civilization as 'white'.

Reminds me of a college professor I had. Competent to teach computer science. Would go on political rants that were completely off the rails.

Bill, Thanks for the second post. It is a well-worded way to describe that history, imho.

Those beliefs are still rather strong today in some circles, not a quaint archaism.

My parents had strong living memory reactions to Lindbergh whenever his name happened to come up.

My mother was always bitter that her older brothers had 'kidnapped' her favourite doll at the time of the kidnapping, and she never did get it back either.

My father was a WWII US Navy combat vet and never had a kind thing to say about him at all.

I acknowledge his important early aviation achievements but the man was a Nazi!!

Ironically, if anyone was in a position to be accused of being in a "global conspiracy involving big money," it was Lindbergh- he married Dwight Morrow's daughter, at a time when the man was a partner in JP Morgan & Co, one of the richest banks in the US.

They wouldn't give Lindbergh a commission in WWII, so he flew as a contractor, working to help test aircraft, including combat testing. So he fought- and can you imagine what the Japanese would have done if they had captured him?

John Bruning's "Race of Aces" covers part of Lindy's visit to 5th Air Force fighter units – he isn't supportive.

Lindy was friendly to the pilots and men, but his diary, however, revealed how much he loathed them, since they didn't, in essence, fight cleanly against the Japanese.

Lindy's knowledge of warfare was mostly ivory tower knowledge.