Customer Reviews

Henry Ford and the Jews

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I have done much research of Henry Ford and his operations for my own series--Father, Ford, $5 a Day--so I can tell when a book about him has been researched well. Al Lee had been a writer for the Ford company and, therefore, he knew where to find the information and was able to get greater access to more of it.
I have the added advantage of having been acquainted with Al Lee, and when I discussed Ford with him, his comment, "Henry Ford was human and, as such, fallible," echoed in my mind while I continued my research.
There is a more recent book with the same title, written by a Jewish man. I understand that it is absolutely scathing of Ford for his actions against the Jews. Nonetheless, by the time I reached page 47 in Lee's book, my stomach was churning. Even a fair, unbiased report about Ford's treatment of Jewish persons as a group (Ford differentiated between Jews as individuals and the group, yet never bothered to examine that inconsistency) does not reflect well on the man in this regard.
An excellent book, which will be valuable to anyone examining Henry Ford, the man, is Henry Ford: An Interpretation - by Samuel S. Marquis, who knew Ford as his minister, social friend, employee and ex-employee. Wayne State University Press reprinted the 1923 book that Ford did his best to squelch. Marquis, too, is very fair and the human Ford is revealed, "warts and all," but also some of the good about the man.

An excellent guide to Henry Ford's anti-Semitic ties and conduct, including (possibly) financing Hitler. And short too-you can read it in a few hours.

The best part of the book had nothing to do with anti-Semitism: an account of a libel trial in which Ford fought an accusation that he was "ignorant" but in doing so proved his ignorance. For example, when asked about the American Revolution, he said "I recall something like that happened in 1812." I find it reassuring to know that today's teenagers aren't the only people ignorant about history.