Besides some 'lil 'Ol Aeroplane flight that
occurred 90 years ago...
Funny how I've never really been interested
in the famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, with my only knowledge of him being
that historic flight Across the Puddle and that his son Charles Jr. was Kidnapped
and murdered in 1932. Which was even more spectacular than his historic flight!
As I'm ARSE-Sumin' everyone knows about his
history making flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, when his Spirit of St
Louis Aeroplane was the first to successfully make the crossing from New York
to Paris, netting Lindbergh a $25,000 prize.
Yet recently, during my spat 'O travels, I
finished a fairly interesting CD Audiobook, albeit a tad longish, clocking in
at 15 Discs titled Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh and
America's fight over World War II 1939-41.
As the author was new to Mwah, and gave me
insight upon not only the nation's overwhelming opposition towards going to war
again, before the British Charm Offensive to join the Allies, and help Great
Britain hold on and ultimately defeat Germany.
It also pointed out Franklin D. Roosevelt's
staunch Interventionism stance, who secretly wished to support England and
France before our involvement in WW II.
Along with FDR's loathing against Lindbergh, ultimately
the leading Isolationist, and chief protagonist for America First. When Lindbergh was as popular, or more so than
FDR!
Whilst I also learned to my chagrin, that
Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh, who's mother Elizabeth was a
staunch Interventionist, making for lively dinner parties... ultimately had six
children together.
As the book talks about the media crush
against the Lindbergh's and their twin sons John and Land. And the exceedingly
hostile and threatening mail they received due to Lindbergh's perceived
Fascism.
Followed by their first daughter Anne, who
apparently died in 1993. Another son Scott and the couple's youngest child,
daughter Reeve.
As Anne was a controversial author, who's
later works included the best selling 1955 Book Gift from the Sea,
the nation's best selling nonfiction book that year, with now some three
million plus copies sold.
As Anne set about repairing the Lindbergh
reputation following the second Great War, aka World War II, for which hers was
tarnished mightily with the publication of The Wave of the Future
in 1940.
Yet as World War II dragged on, and Lindbergh
was increasingly not at home, nor letting them know where he was, the couple
grew distant.
While Lindbergh, now a war supporter toiled
tirelessly on adventurous stints near and abroad as a Civilian Aviation
Consultant, including clandestine war duty, ultimately flying 50 combat
missions.
The book reveals briefly how Charles led a
dual, secret life in his later years, beginning in 1957 and siring a further seven
children in Europe with three different women.
While the book ends noting how now in his
early 70's, and mainly indistinguishable with his white hair, Lindbergh would
still take up his usual, secret station of hiding behind mannequin's at the
Smithsonian museum as he stared overhead longingly at his prized possession...
While you may also wish to visit Messer Lindbergh's
website at: Charles Augustus Lindbergh - Homepage