David Gascoyne Quotes


The present political situation is almost comic, diabolically comic, if one has enough detachment to see it that way: the whole of Europe waiting with bated breath for the “inspired” utterances of a madman! Everything seems to depend on what Hitler will say … all this flurry and nervous chatter in the international henroosts, -- because of the lunatic whims of a paranoiac little mediocrity of a German housepainter!


Citations

David Gascoyne, British poet, Diary, September 4, 1938

Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations

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This quotation is important because there are some who believed that the professional German Soldiers did not respect Hitler and his murderous policies. This quotation shows that at least publicly Donitz had no problem extolling Hitler above all others. After the war Donitz was found guilty of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare and using thousands of slave laborers in his shipyards. He was sentenced to 10 years, one of the lightest sentences if the German War Crimes Trials.


Both of these famous Americans were admirers of Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler. They both accepted medals from the German dictator. And both of them were apologists for German aggression and urged the United States not to side with England and to stay neutral in the War. The next year Germany declared war on the United States.


Germany was in a catastrophic depression with hyper inflation at the same time. Einstein was one of the few world leaders who realized that as long as Germans had not enough to eat, they were easy prey for demagogues like Hitler and philosophies like Nazism and Fascism.


Donovan had been criticized for utilizing "leftists" for intelligence activities. Precursor to CIA. Donavan was a prominant attorney, banker and financier as well as a Medal of Honor Winner when he was asked to organzie the OSS. America was far behind the axis and even our allies in spy craft. J Edgar Hoover focused the FBI on leftists and had veritually no capability for spying in Western Europe and Asia. Donavan's OSS produced almost all of the actionable intelligence and did a wonderful job in organziaing covert operations. He used people who would normally never be considered by an espionage agency including many scholars, intellectuals, scientists, and entertainers. His agents ranged from Julia Child, the gourmet chef. to Moe Berg, a New York Yankee Baseball Player who spoke many languages. Hoover and some if the military intelligence agencies were jealous of his success and his access to President Roosevelt, and complained about anything they could find and hisi agents were an easy target for their wealth, societal connections, sexual indescretions, liberal politics, Bohemians, upper class right wing politics and culture. None of thus phased Donavan. After the war and FDR's death, Donavan's enemies got the OSS disbanded. Soon, something was needed, and the CIA was organized along the lines of Donavan's recommendations.


Many notables of the left and the right supported Mussolini in his early political days. Virtually all of the worst dictators were welcomed by many when they first appeared on the scene. Human nature seems to have us all looking for exceptional leaders and statesmen and that is exactly what the dictator relies upon to acquire power, By the time most recognize the truth, the dictator has control of all the levers of compulsion. Many Americans were fooled just as the Europeans were. For others, see {623202}. {623200} and {623201}.


She, like her husband and many of the America Firsters, believed that Hitler should be allowed to overrun Europe and Russia. See {613688}. The America First group was a pro-fascist organization who supported the axis powers until they declared war on the United States. Even then, there were some Nazi sympathizers who were anti-immigrant, racist and anti-Semitic in addition to being fascists. Both of the Lindberghs were America Firsters


David Gascoyne
David Gascoyne
  • Born: October 10, 1916
  • Died: November 25, 2001
  • Nationality: English
  • Profession: Poet

David Gascoyne was an English poet associated with the Surrealist movement. He also translated work by French surrealist poets.