ALVIN MANSFIELD OWSLEY

This quotation comes as a surprise to most readers who are amazed that the first American Legion National Commander described the role of the Legion as parallel to that of Mussolini and the Fascists of Italy. The early Legion leadership were themselves very right wing and fascistic themselves. See {640098} which shows that the Legion of that time was fomenting race hatred against Asians. The Legion leadership was not alone in its fascist tendencies; many of the right wingers from Charles Lindbergh to Joseph Kennedy—father of JFK were admirers of the fascists and advocated many of their practices. They even praised Hitler and Mussolini.

This quotation comes as a surprise to most readers who are amazed that the first American Legion National Commander described the role of the Legion as parallel to that of Mussolini and the Fascists of Italy. The early Legion leadership were themselves very right wing and fascistic themselves. See {640098} which shows that the Legion of that time was fomenting race hatred against Asians. The Legion leadership was not alone in its fascist tendencies; many of the right wingers from Charles Lindbergh to Joseph Kennedy—father of JFK were admirers of the fascists and advocated many of their practices. They even praised Hitler and Mussolini.