American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy's Forgotten Crisis
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- Create Date：2022-10-08 17:21:35
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- Author：Adam Hochschild
- ISBN：B09PGFLR2B
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Summary
From award-winning， New York Times bestselling historian Adam Hochschild， a fast-paced， revelatory new account of a pivotal but neglected period in American history: World War I and its stormy aftermath， when bloodshed and repression on the home front nearly doomed American democracy。
The nation was on the brink。 Angry mobs burned Black churches to the ground and chased down pacifists and immigrants。 Well over a thousand men and women were jailed solely for what they had written or said， even in private。 An astonishing 250，000 people joined a nationwide vigilante group—sponsored by the Department of Justice。
This was America during and after the Great War: a brief but appalling era blighted by torture， censorship， and killings。 Adam Hochschild brings to life this troubled period， which stretched from 1917 to 1921， through the interwoven tales of a colorful cast of characters: some well-known， among them the sphinxlike Woodrow Wilson and the ambitious young bureaucrat J。 Edgar Hoover; others less familiar， such as the fiery antiwar advocate Kate Richards O’Hare and the outspoken Leo Wendell， a labor radical who was frequently arrested and wholly trusted by his comrades—but who was in fact Hoover’s star undercover agent。
A groundbreaking work of narrative history， American Midnight recalls these horrifying yet inspiring four years， when some brave Americans strove to keep their fractured country democratic， while ruthless others stimulated toxic currents of racism， nativism， red-baiting， and contempt for the rule of law—poisons that feel ominously familiar today。
The nation was on the brink。 Angry mobs burned Black churches to the ground and chased down pacifists and immigrants。 Well over a thousand men and women were jailed solely for what they had written or said， even in private。 An astonishing 250，000 people joined a nationwide vigilante group—sponsored by the Department of Justice。
This was America during and after the Great War: a brief but appalling era blighted by torture， censorship， and killings。 Adam Hochschild brings to life this troubled period， which stretched from 1917 to 1921， through the interwoven tales of a colorful cast of characters: some well-known， among them the sphinxlike Woodrow Wilson and the ambitious young bureaucrat J。 Edgar Hoover; others less familiar， such as the fiery antiwar advocate Kate Richards O’Hare and the outspoken Leo Wendell， a labor radical who was frequently arrested and wholly trusted by his comrades—but who was in fact Hoover’s star undercover agent。
A groundbreaking work of narrative history， American Midnight recalls these horrifying yet inspiring four years， when some brave Americans strove to keep their fractured country democratic， while ruthless others stimulated toxic currents of racism， nativism， red-baiting， and contempt for the rule of law—poisons that feel ominously familiar today。
Reviews
Shoshana
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"History，" observed a sage， "may not repeat itself， but it does rhyme。" Adam Hochschild covers a period of American history which is setting off clanging bells; 1917-1921。 In high school we learned about "The Red Scare" after WWI， but they never taught us how terrible it was。 Hochschild pulls no punches to inform his readers about it。"American Midnight" is well-researched and well-written， as one would expect from a scholar of Hochschild's stature。 It is a cliche to say that a work of non-fictio "History，" observed a sage， "may not repeat itself， but it does rhyme。" Adam Hochschild covers a period of American history which is setting off clanging bells; 1917-1921。 In high school we learned about "The Red Scare" after WWI， but they never taught us how terrible it was。 Hochschild pulls no punches to inform his readers about it。"American Midnight" is well-researched and well-written， as one would expect from a scholar of Hochschild's stature。 It is a cliche to say that a work of non-fiction reads like a novel， but cliches contain a truth， and so it is in this case。 There is so much sorrow and wickedness involved that it does not make for easy reading， but it is a salutary lesson for those of us living in the twenty-first century。 Strongly recommended。Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC。 。。。more
Tawney
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By the time of the U。S， entry into World War I the imbalance in wealth and power had grown to the point it was causing unrest。 This is a detailed account of how those in power used fear-mongering and force in an effort to destroy the labor movement， to stop immigration and quash any move by Blacks toward greater equality。 The government was willing to use the National Guard， the Post Office， informers， vigilante groups and more to "support democracy"。 When the war ended suppression continued wit By the time of the U。S， entry into World War I the imbalance in wealth and power had grown to the point it was causing unrest。 This is a detailed account of how those in power used fear-mongering and force in an effort to destroy the labor movement， to stop immigration and quash any move by Blacks toward greater equality。 The government was willing to use the National Guard， the Post Office， informers， vigilante groups and more to "support democracy"。 When the war ended suppression continued with the Red Scare， aided by disinformation and conspiracy theories Hochschild illustrates both the larger political and economic narratives as well as many examples of gut wrenching actions against individuals in the name of protecting the United States。 The book is very well written， with well drawn characterizations。 It was hard to read because of the subject matter， but is very important。 Condoleezza Rice says that democracy is hard。 It's important to know that the country has veered away from democratic ideals more than once and during the period covered in this book the future must have looked frightening to both sides。 Sound familiar？Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for an advance copy。 。。。more
Kellylynn
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Another rough one to read。 It is amazing that at this point in our history we are still repeating the same mistakes over and over again。 So many things that were just so bad; the lynchings， the political rhetoric， the blatant lying in the press。For me I felt sad that we have not learned and have not moved forward in the years。 My husband looked at this with the thought well this gives me hope that it will not all fall apart as horrifically as it could and we may be able to baby step ahead。I actu Another rough one to read。 It is amazing that at this point in our history we are still repeating the same mistakes over and over again。 So many things that were just so bad; the lynchings， the political rhetoric， the blatant lying in the press。For me I felt sad that we have not learned and have not moved forward in the years。 My husband looked at this with the thought well this gives me hope that it will not all fall apart as horrifically as it could and we may be able to baby step ahead。I actually won this one in one of the giveaways。 。。。more
Carol Dimitriou
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Before I talk about this book， I want to thank GOODREADS and MARINER Books for giving me the chance to read it before its publication。 Thanks！American Midnight is an extremely well written and very interesting book。 As Adam Hochschild says in his prologue， the events he writes about were not in any history textbooks I read in high school。 They should have been！ Every American should be aware of what transpired in America during and right after World War I。 I grew up watching the Army-McCarthy he Before I talk about this book， I want to thank GOODREADS and MARINER Books for giving me the chance to read it before its publication。 Thanks！American Midnight is an extremely well written and very interesting book。 As Adam Hochschild says in his prologue， the events he writes about were not in any history textbooks I read in high school。 They should have been！ Every American should be aware of what transpired in America during and right after World War I。 I grew up watching the Army-McCarthy hearings on television; I remember vividly the turmoil during the Vietnam War; and， of course， the extreme views currently espoused by the far right。 But I had no idea of the loss of civil liberties， the imprisonment of citizens for their beliefs， or the almost total lack of ethics of many of our elected officials during that time period。 I thought these things were only true during my lifetime。 How wrong I was！ Please， everyone， read this book--it will open your eyes！ 。。。more
Kimba Tichenor
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Adam Hochschild’s American Midnight is a compelling read about an overlooked chapter in American history， that is， how US involvement in World War I became an excuse for a government-led war against democracy at home。 As the author notes in the Introduction， most high school history texts detail the United States’ enthusiastic embrace of the European war after a period of neutrality， the US role in Allied Powers’ victory， the subsequent ticker tape parades， and the arrival of the Jazz Age。 Howev Adam Hochschild’s American Midnight is a compelling read about an overlooked chapter in American history， that is， how US involvement in World War I became an excuse for a government-led war against democracy at home。 As the author notes in the Introduction， most high school history texts detail the United States’ enthusiastic embrace of the European war after a period of neutrality， the US role in Allied Powers’ victory， the subsequent ticker tape parades， and the arrival of the Jazz Age。 However， little or no mention is made of how two wartime acts passed by Congress—the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918—were used to suppress wartime dissent， imprison union organizers， shut down leftist newspapers， justify attacks on African American communities， dismantle the American Socialist party， and persecute immigrants。 These topics have remained largely confined to academic histories of the era。 With this well-researched and easy-to-read popular history， Hochschild seeks both to rectify this oversight and to provide a cautionary tale about the fragility of democracy。 To this end， the author highlights parallels between past and present， that is， how rage against immigrants and refugees， racism， and the American predilection for blaming our economic， social， and political woes on sinister conspiracies continue to garner large numbers of adherents within the populace。 It is as a cautionary tale that this book touches a nerve。 With a very light touch， the author points to continuities between now and then。 For example， he notes in the Conclusion: “Just as veterans of the Philippine War appeared in the violence that surged after 1917， so veterans of later Asian counter-guerrilla wars， in Vietnam， Iraq， and Afghanistan， have helped fill the ranks of new camouflaged-clad armed militia groups。" Although the author makes no mention of the January 6th insurrection or the storming of Michigan’s capitol by militia groups， including the Boogaloo Boys and the Michigan Liberty militia， these events， at least for this reader， immediately came to mind。 A more direct parallel is drawn when the author highlights how many former members of the American Protective League—a nationwide volunteer citizens’ organization that in league with the US government conducted unlawful searches and even tarred and feathered members of the Industrial Workers of the World （IWW） union for protesting the war—became leading members of the postwar Ku Klux Klan。 In the framework of this discussion， the author notes that when 1000 hooded Klansmen marched through the streets of New York City on Memorial Day 1927， one of the Klansmen arrested was Donald Trump’s father， Fred Trump。 The racist， xenophobic， and conspiratorial views of the father found expression in the son’s presidential campaign and presidency。 Any report that spoke critically of his presidency was labeled “fake news” and blame for the country’s political and economic woes was placed on immigrants。However， let us be clear; this cautionary tale is not a partisan one。 The author emphasizes that both major political parties have been guilty of making “dog-whistle appeals” aimed at the populace’s darker side。 Both parties also have had a hand in creating the environment in which conspiracy-driven， anti-democratic solutions thrive。 Each has promoted policies that widened the gap between the haves and the have-nots， so that tens of millions of Americans’ economic circumstances have deteriorated—making conditions ripe for looking for scapegoats to blame。 Moreover， members of both parties have been guilty of prioritizing political expediency over promoting civil rights and Constitutional safeguards。 This eye-opening popular history may be hard for many to read， as it debunks the national myth of American freedom。 However， this is no nihilistic narrative of the country’s past sins。 Instead， the author hopes that by examining “the toxic currents of racism， nativism， Red-baiting， and contempt for the rule of law [that] have long flowed through American life，” we can “better defend against them in the future。”I would like to thank NetGalley， the author， and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review。 。。。more
Joseph J。
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Thank you to Goodeads for an ARC。 Those who do not know history are apt （or doomed） to repeat it， or， what is past is prologue。 I suspect Adam Hochschild researched and wrote this volume in our present time。 We know the wave of blacklisting and finger pointing and fear which swept the U。S。 after World War II。 Less known is this period during and following The Great War， which tragically became in history World War I。 Anti-immigrant fear and loathing， lynching and arrest of union organizers， impr Thank you to Goodeads for an ARC。 Those who do not know history are apt （or doomed） to repeat it， or， what is past is prologue。 I suspect Adam Hochschild researched and wrote this volume in our present time。 We know the wave of blacklisting and finger pointing and fear which swept the U。S。 after World War II。 Less known is this period during and following The Great War， which tragically became in history World War I。 Anti-immigrant fear and loathing， lynching and arrest of union organizers， imprisonment of editors， writers and speakers seen as traitorous to the War effort-these marked the War years and aftermath。 At the center is the perplexing， perplexing and at times enraging figure of the idealistic progressive Woodrow Wilson。 He emerges from the war a messianic figure in Europe。 But prophets are often despised by their own people。 And Wilson returns from extended trips to Europe beaten by allied leaders' demands to punish defeated Germany， leading to obstinacy consumed by a descent into paralyzing illness。 His personal and Presidential tragedy shadows a country and an administration hell bent on persecuting and imprisoning and departing the other-from filthy subhuman prisons， unconstitutional round ups sanctioned by an Attorney General with Presidential ambitions， and often led by a young J。 Edgar Hoover with， well ambitions。 There is a fascinating cast of persecuted characters many known to， others not known， to history。 Other than Wilson， there are the famous: Socialists Emma Goldman and Eugene V。 Debs， and nemesis Attorney General Mitchell Palmer， along with J。 Edgar。 We also meet Kate O Hare and Marie Eqi and the courageous Louis Post。 （Don't forget the incredibly named Kennesaw Mountain Landis， or the mediocre Vice President Thomas Marshall。 An absorbing read， and lesson for our present day。 。。。more
Kim McGee
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It is amazing to me the high limits we have for human cruelty and racial/ethnic injustice。 At a low period in our history during WWI and years after we stopped welcoming the world's downtrodden and shut the flow of immigrants we had welcomed with open arms。 At the same time a world at war and mob mentality made us suspect our European neighbors（especially German） and Black Americans with renewed fervor。 Workers looking for a better life who spoke out were tortured or worse and mobs treated any o It is amazing to me the high limits we have for human cruelty and racial/ethnic injustice。 At a low period in our history during WWI and years after we stopped welcoming the world's downtrodden and shut the flow of immigrants we had welcomed with open arms。 At the same time a world at war and mob mentality made us suspect our European neighbors（especially German） and Black Americans with renewed fervor。 Workers looking for a better life who spoke out were tortured or worse and mobs treated any organized meetings with violence。 It is also the story of a young J。 Edgar Hoover and his collection of spies and informers creating fear to control the masses。 The pace is good and considering how much information is shared， it is very readable。 Historians as well as political aficionados will appreciate how similar this is to current day。 My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy。 。。。more
J Earl
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American Midnight by Adam Hochschild presents both an unsettling period in our history as well as a cautionary tale for our current times。Suppression of free speech， violence toward anyone not agreeing with the faux-patriots of the day， championing big business over workers to the point of violence， increased racism and antisemitism。 These sound like I am talking about current events but I'm highlighting the US during the period covered in the book， 1917-1921。 While the history is fascinating， h American Midnight by Adam Hochschild presents both an unsettling period in our history as well as a cautionary tale for our current times。Suppression of free speech， violence toward anyone not agreeing with the faux-patriots of the day， championing big business over workers to the point of violence， increased racism and antisemitism。 These sound like I am talking about current events but I'm highlighting the US during the period covered in the book， 1917-1921。 While the history is fascinating， how it speaks to today is important， if listened to。Hochschild makes clear he is biased， biased against unjustified violence and suppression， hatred of people for nothing more than their race or religion。 In other words， anyone who complains about bias as a negative of the book must find those aspects unobjectionable。 Even a fake historian complained about a small part （a couple of sentences） on the grounds that it would have been just fine in those days。 First， that is just wrong。 There were many people， especially former US military men who still bristled so soon after the Civil War at the sight of the Confederate flag used as anything other than a memorial for fallen soldiers of the war。 Add that this was shortly after the big "lost cause" push that promoted a false understanding of the war and of the confederate south and the mention of a comment about a Confederate flag is indeed a justifiable one。 Especially since the "compliment" was that it was an "honorable flag。" The quote， in context， is about that General acting like he was campaigning for office and playing up very specific constituencies。 So anyone who makes such a dog-whistle filled complaint about the book is simply showing their own disgraceful colors。 Ignore the poor little thing， he is compensating for， um， shortcomings。This extremely well-researched book reads almost like an epic novel。 The facts are weaved into a narrative， with the historical characters demonstrating who and what they are through their very actions （or inactions） and words。 Some history nonfiction can easily be read either as a whole or in chunks as the urge strikes。 This one compels the reader to keep turning pages so is like a novel in that respect as well。Highly recommended for （actual） history buffs as well as those who want to fill in the many gaps of the typical history taught in schools。 Also for those who want to look to the past to help understand and react to the present。 Not as highly recommended for the small-brained who think what happened then and what is happening now is fine and anyone pointing out the unethical and immoral ways are overly biased。Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley。 。。。more
Kendra
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This is an excellent， well-researched and documented survey of the ways Woodrow Wilson and his appointees used political power to silence， kill， and injure American citizens and residents who opposed American intervention in the First World War。 Wilson and his allies used brutal tactics to suppress First Amendment rights across the country， engaging in strike-breaking， infiltrating unions， wire-tapping civilian lines， and more。 I think everyone needs to read this， especially as efforts to suppre This is an excellent， well-researched and documented survey of the ways Woodrow Wilson and his appointees used political power to silence， kill， and injure American citizens and residents who opposed American intervention in the First World War。 Wilson and his allies used brutal tactics to suppress First Amendment rights across the country， engaging in strike-breaking， infiltrating unions， wire-tapping civilian lines， and more。 I think everyone needs to read this， especially as efforts to suppress free speech continue。 。。。more
Brendan Dowd
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