Mothers' Movement

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Mothers' Movement was the name for a confederation of anti-World War II, pro-Nazi, anti-Communist, anti-Roosevelt and antisemitic groups.

Mothers' Movement consisted of: National Legion of Mothers of America formed by Father Charles Coughlin in 1939; National Blue Star Mothers; Crusading Mothers of America; We, the Mothers; and We, the Mothers, Mobilize for America.

This alliance of right-wing groups did not disperse, unlike other non-interventionist groups, after the United States entered WWII, but became even more vocal. They would picket the Capitol, harangue the senators, and go on a speaking tour around the country. These activities continued until the Great Sedition Trial of 1944.


Contents

[edit] Development

When Hitler declared war on the United States during WWII in 1941, several movements of opposition began to rally against this United States intervention. The majority of American women across the nation were supportive of the United States' entry and made sacrifices on the home front to benefit the war effort. These women took on jobs and responsibilities that were mainly filled by men, such as in factories to build planes, tanks and ships needed to fight Hitler.[1] But a small minority of women opposed the war efforts in order to keep their sons out of combat. Thus began the "Mother's Movements" led by ultraright women, such as Elizabeth Dilling, Catherine Curtis, and Lyrl Clark Van Hyning.[2] "These women capitalized on the sentimental attitude towards mothers. This anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi group was made up of many organization of differents states, including the National League of Mothers of America and We the Mothers, Mobilize for America."[3] The movement first originated in California and then gradually became a decentralized confederation of fifty to one hundred groups that developed on the west coast, midwest, and east coast.[4] The members of these groups were very diverse in age, religion, class, and education, but the leaders were mainly white, middle aged Christians, with college educations and belonging to the upper middle-class. It is believed that these leaders were able to crusade and protest around the country due to their financial securities. They also most likely learned their organizing experience from women's clubs, political parties, or movements led by men. [5]

[edit] Influence of the Mother's Movement

[edit] Campaigning Their Efforts

These mothers led their protests by publishing books, pamphlets, and newsletters that all contained their persuasive beliefs to stop the war. The mothers even managed to testify before Congress, they picketed the White House, collected petitions, and participated in political campaigns. Though the battles that these mothers chose were not always won, these women encouraged other women to become stronger and more confident in taking a stand for their beliefs. "Working in reform groups, these women became conscious of their capacity to lead movements, of the special interests of their gender, and of their identity as a group oppressed by many of the political and cultural roles that the male-led society expected them to fulfill."[6]


[edit] The Great Sedition Trial

The actions and persistence of the Mother's Movement helped to lead to the Great Sedition Trial of 1944. The Great Sedition Trial was a political trial in which the government prosecution specifically charged the defendants (Nazi followers) with preaching National Socialism, race prejudice, anti-Semitism and anti-communism.[7] Under the Sedition Act of 1917, which outlawed attempts to undermine the morale of the armed servies in wartime, and under the Smith Act of 1940, which prohibited activities to undermine the the morales of fighting men in peacetime, President Roosevelt pressured U.S. Attorney General Francis Biddle to indict these seditionists. Some of the leaders that were called to testify before the grand jury were Elizabeth Dilling, Catherine Curtis, and Lyrl Clark Van Hyning.[8]

[edit] The End of the Movement

In the end, the Mother's Movement failed to accomplish its main goal of averting the social change they feared most, which led to the declining enthusiasm for the cause; the movement slowly diminished after World War II was over. The leaders of the movement mostly dispersed into different paths and most of them lost the distinction they once had during the 1930s and 1940s, while others merely faded out into the obscurity and found death.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ WWII Women &amp the Homefront
  2. ^ Jeansonne 1996, p.1.
  3. ^ Lewis 2008, http://womenshistory.about.com/od/warwwii/a/opponents.htm
  4. ^ Jeansonne 1996, p.1.
  5. ^ Jeansonne 1996, p.2.
  6. ^ Jeansonne 1996, p.2-3.
  7. ^ Lawrence and Maximilian 1946, p.32-37.
  8. ^ Jeansonne 1996, p.152.
  9. ^ Jeansonne 1996, p.165.

[edit] Bibliography

“A Brief History of WWII.” World WarII History Info. 2003. 1 Mar. 2008 http://www.worldwariihistory.info/WWII/United-States.html

“Charles Coughlin.” Wikipedia. 2008. 1 Mar. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Coughlin

“Elizabeth Dilling.” Wikipedia. 2008. 1 Mar. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Dilling.

Jeansonne, Glen. Women of the far right: the mother’s movement and World War II. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996.

Lawrence, Dennis, and Maximilian John St. George. A Trial on Trial; the Great Sedition Trial of 1944. National Civil Rights Committee, 1946.

Lewis, Jone Johnson. “Women and World War II – Opponents.” About.com. 2008. 1 Mar. 2008 http://womenshistory.about.com/od/warwwii/a/opponents.htm

“Right-wing politics.” Wikipedia. 2008. 1 Mar. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_politics

“Women and the Home Front During World War II.” Teacher Oz’s Kingdom of History. 2008. 1 Mar. 2008 http://www.teacheroz.com/WWIIHomefront.htm

“World War II.” Wikipedia. 2008. 1 Mar. 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II

[edit] External Links

A Brief History of WWII

Women and World War II-Opponents

Women and the Home Front During World War II


[edit] Further reading

  • Glen Jeansonne, Women of the Far Right: The Mothers Movement and World War II. University of Chicago Press, 1996.
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