"The more things change, the more they stay the same." Or, as Yogi Berra said, "Deju all over again." Charles Higham's book titled TRADING WITH THE ENEMY is a continuation of what started as early as WW I. When the undersigned first read the book, he thought, "So what else is new?" However Higham's book is a good introduction to the uninitiated. Higham tried to sort the complexity of the players who helped finance and traded with the Hitler regime before and DURING WW II.
Higham's book "named names" of British and US CEOs who not only financed the Hitler regime but supported the ideology and race hallucinations of National Socialist ideology. A good book that parallels the some of Higham's book is George Seldes book titled WITCH HUNT. Readers maybe interested in the fact that the political concepts of Fascism and National Socialism were political approval words during the 1920s and 1930s.
Higham detailed bankers, stock brokers, and investors who heavily invested in German industry including war production. The greed was so bad that while the US had rubber shortages and specialized aviation shortages, the players who bankrolled the Hitler regime made sure the Germans had these resources. The players used Switzerland as a conduit for the financing and industrial raw materials/goods to Germany. The driving force was greed and "the hell with loyalty."
The players also used Mexican and Texan oil industries to siphon oil and gasoline to Germany. Even during WW II, these efforts continued and any legal efforts were concealed or sand bagged by CEOs and their political associates in Washington, DC. Documents that would have disclosed such illegal activities were either labelled top secret or simply disappeared.
However, such illegal activities were not unique to WW II. HIgham could have ventured into WW I. During WW I the British funneled coal and other resources into Germany, again, via Switzerland. In fact, Higham could have mentioned that the devices the Germans used in their hand grenades and other weapons were manufactured in Great Britain. As noted above, many of those who supported the Hitler regime because of greed also agreed with Hitler's ideology. Readers may be surprised that one of these supporters was Henry Ford who marketed vehicles and parts to Germany.
Higham could have embellished his book with US aid to the USSR. Such aid DID NOT begin with the Lend/lease help during WW II. Financial and industrial support were afforded as early as the 1920s. General Electric helped build large hydroelectric plants in "The Workers' Paradise." One of the players in this aid was Armond Hammer whose portrait hung Lenin's office. As an aside, Stalin removed the portrait because of Stalin's hatred of Jewish people. A good account of this Sutton's book titled WALL STREET AND THE BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION.
HIghham could have further added to his book by detailing US aid to the USSR during the phony Cold War. Again the complexity of layers of players and organizations prevented an easy exposure. A good monograph which was posted in the WALL STREET JOURNAL on page 14 of the February 7, 1980 which is microcosm of such trade and financing of the Soviet Union.
An enterprising historian or journalist could extend the topic now. US authorities have and are now arming Al Qeada, the Taliban, and ISIS. In fact, the Pentagon is supporting one group in Syria while the CIA is supporting an opposing group. A fanatic in the US wants the authority to use drones to assassinate anyone who exposes such nonsense. Readers who to "come to grips" with this confusion would do well to read George Orwell's 1984.
Higham's book is a good place to start to understand these nefarious activities. Seldes' books BLOOD, IRON, AND PROFITS and FACTS ABOUT FASCISM give "chapter and verse" exposures a continuum of these nefarious activities. The other books mentioned above are useful
James E. Egolf
May 7, 2016
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