Silver Legion of America

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The Silver Legion of America, commonly known as the Silver Shirts, was an American fascist organization founded by William Dudley Pelley on January 30, 1933.

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[edit] American silver shirts

The Silver Legion’s emblem was a scarlet 'L'. It stood for Loyalty to the American Republic, Liberation from materialism and, of course, the Silver Legion itself.

The uniform of the Silver Legion members consisted of a cap identical to those worn by German Stormtroopers, blue corduroy trousers, leggings, tie, and silver shirt with a red "L" over the heart. The Silver Legion had "Silver Shirts" in a like manner to the Italian Fascists having Blackshirts and the German Nazis having Brownshirts.

By 1934, the Silver Shirts had about 15,000 members. Most members were middle-class. The movement's strength dwindled after 1934. Four years later, the Silver Legion was down to a membership of about 5000. In 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declaration of war on the United States by Nazi Germany and the Kingdom of Italy led to the immediate collapse of the Silver Legion.

[edit] In popular culture

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • The Millenarian Right: William Dudley Pelley and the Silver Legion of America by John Werly (Ph.D. diss. Syracuse University, 1972)
  • Ribuffo, Leo Pual, Protestants on the Right: William Dudley Pelley, Gerald B. Winrod and Gerald L.K. Smith, two volumes, Yale University, 1976 Liberation magazine, January 1936, New York City Library

[edit] External links

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