Customer Reviews

Saving the Jews: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Holocaust

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book is both an enormously engrossing read and a well-argued and researched correction of history. The correction is necessary because of "revisionist" historians who have claimed that FDR was not only anti-Semitic, but failed to take actions that could easily have saved countless Jewish lives during the Holocaust. Rosen combines a careful look at the facts, including previously unexamined original documents, with incisive analysis and common sense, to to conclude that the truth is just the contrary. FDR's efforts to protect Jewish lives and rights were genuine, often proactive, and almost always as much or more as could reasonably be expected within daunting military and political constraints. Rosen's attitude toward FDR is not worshipful, but by giving us a richer understanding of the historical context, he heightens appreciation of Roosevelt's character and of what Roosevelt did accomplish. The book may also serve a more general purpose: It is an antidote to the paranoia caused by both historians and pundits who apply perfectionist standards to events viewed in hindsight. Equally important, it is a great story very well told.

There has long been a myth that Franklin D. Roosevelt in effect ignored the Jews of Europe in 1933-45 when in fact he might well have saved most of them. Older books that treat with the topic have developed this myth to the point that it has become a "popular fact," along with the one about knowing in advance about Pearl Harbor, or giving Eastern Europe away to Stalin without a fight. FDR was hardly perfect and had some serious failures mixed with his monumental successes; but the "popular facts" mentioned above are blatant rubbish, and in the case of the salvation of the Jews, Robert N. Rosen has made a major contribution to the debunking process. (Fortunately, newer general biographies of FDR - e.g. those by Jean Arthur Smith and Conrad Black (both very much worth reading) - are no longer repeating these shabby legends, but they persist nonetheless.)

Rosen's is primarily a scholarly approach: Citations abound and the references used comprise a formidable list indeed. And on that basis alone this is a magnificent first encounter with its topic, especially for one who has the interest and resources to pursue the matter further via the bibliographic material. Though not particularly even-handed in its treatment, Rosen's book nevertheless is very clear when it comes to what Roosevelt tried to do, what he in fact achieved and what he didn't, and in each case why things went as they did. And Rosen is not above faulting FDR in matters where Rosen feels there is fault, though he hardly belabors these elements (as he does in a few cases of the opposite assessment).

But the book is not overly well written for general reading; the style is abrupt, sometimes fairly mechanical, occasionally repetitious, and too often a bit awkward when viewed primarily from a literary vantage. In short, Rosen is a brilliant scholar and a magnificent researcher; he is not however a terribly good writer. (Lord Black has somewhat the same problem in his monumental biography, but not even remotely on the same level.)

In addition there are a few proof-reading lapses that it would be well to fix, lest readers who know better confuse errors of minutiae with errors of real substance. As examples, Governor Herbert Lehman was not "Herman" (p.21); Vice-President John Nance Garner was not "James" (p.135); and Robert H. Jackson was not one of the judges at the Nuremberg Tribunal, he was the chief prosecutor (p.206).

In summary, Rosen's book is a superb treatment of its topic in terms of depth of fact and support for the material, and in solidly-researched debunking of persistent myths that really ought never to have been allowed to grow in the first place. Rosen's work could, however, do with a bit of touch-up in places, and perhaps a bit of help with the mechanics of narrative would have made it a smoother read for the non-scholar.

We have heard the criticisms of FDR's policy towards the holocaust all too often over the last several decades. They have ranged from benign neglect on his part, to near complicity. This has left many people, myself included, with an uncomfortable feeling about FDR for many years. I'm halfway through Robert Rosen's book, and I now think FDR completely undeserving of the negative comments of other authors on this matter. In fact, I feel as if I've been seriously mislead by previous authors, who seem to have been out to make a quick buck by stirring up negative controversy. Rosen's book contains numerous examples of how previous authors misrepresented events regarding U. S. immigration policy, and the plight of Jewish refugees from the Third Reich. Although it's a worthwhile read, the editing of the book is a bit choppy, with some repetition in different sections. The subject is very important, and I hope it gets discussed on Book TV. I discovered Rosen's book while ordering some of Gerhard Weinberg's books on World War II. If you haven't read Weinberg's stuff, and you're a WWII buff, be prepared for some real surprises, and lots of myth debunking.

This book is fascinating, very well written, and meticulously researched. It provides an authoritative analysis of Roosevelt's response to the Holocaust. I could not put it down. As Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. said, "If there is a single book to read, 'Saving the Jews: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Holocaust' is the one. This is an essential book for students of U.S. policy toward the Holocaust." This book examines WWII, the Holocaust and FDR's perspective as events were occurring - in the context of the time. It helps the reader understand the reaction and response of Americans, American Jews, and FDR to Hitler's mass murder. It is a must read. Also, there are many footnotes and sources listed if the reader wants additional information on any particular point.

This is a must read for those who want to understand about his relations to Jews during the holocaust years. Read my amapedia review below!

Impossible for me to agree with the Cohen review. Franklin D Roosevelt was as interested in saving the Jews as I am in saving the Australian Funnel-Web Spider. Why, if FDR claimed that so "many of my friends are Jewish", was he busy during the pre-war years lobbying to keep Jews out of Harvard? That alone is an indication of his aims - leaving aside the manner in which America - led by FDR - watched while most of Europe's Jews were stripped of citizenship, livelihood, professions, all human dignity; then starved, ghettoized, and finally murdered in cold blood. Wake up: This man and his people allowed 75% of Europe's Jews to be annihilated while they certainly had more than enough power to stop the persecution and the process. Sheila McLaren.

This is a strange book. It fails to refute any of the facts that have been marshalled by others to show that the United States did nothing to rescue the Jews of Europe despite the fact that they knew about the Holocaust. It makes the claim that virtually undisputed history of the era -- that the U.S. was indifferent to the plight of the Jews -- is somehow "revisionist" -- without any explanation or support. All it does, in the end, is make excuses for each of Roosevelt's failures. And lame excuses they are. Nobody disputes where the State Department's priorities were; nobody disputes that Roosevelt knew what was going on and failed to intervene; nobody disputes that Roosevelt knelt to kiss Ibn Saud's feet. Saying that the country's mood was "against immigration" is hardly an academic refutation of the mainstream view of history: that Roosevelt and his administration knew of the systematic murder of the Jews and made a conscious choice to allow it to happen.

this is an outstanding book on debunking incorrect rumors about fdr's care of the jews and about his having to contend with americas fifth column during wwii

Having read this book in hardcover, when it was released, and then after reading the Wyman Institute's largely pathetic attacks on the book, I remain convinced that Rosen has done this nation a service in protecting and defending FDR from attacks from these narrow minded Holocaust historians who have defamed FDR over the past few decades on the issue of the American response to the European Holocaust against Jews.

All one has to do is to read about what he did with the St. Louis. That in itself is unforgiveable. He knew what was happening, he knew about the train tracks and what did he do? Nothing. There was a strong isolationist feeling in the U.S., and pro-German sentiment as well, and he was up for re-election. So much for him.

His wife begged him to let in the people on the St. Louis. She deserves the credit for caring about humanity; FDR, none.