I won't post the following chapters until May, but here's a preview anyways.
“If one could summarize the postwar period in one word, it would be “security”. Though national security was often emphasized, internal security would be paramount for the Canadian and American governments. Our present-day history begins in the United States, on May 8, 1936. Catch the lights James, and we’ll begin the lecture.”
Lecture by Prof. David Bunning, McGill University, Sept. 2009
“I have decided to seek the governorship of this great state because I believe that President Roosevelt should have a strong backer in the state of Massachusetts. Governor Curley has decided to seek a Senate seat, and I thank the Massachusetts Democratic Party for this nomination. Rest assured your faith in me will be well-rewarded in the future.”
Joseph Kennedy accepting the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, Springfield, May 8, 1936
“President Roosevelt had offered me the Ambassadorship to Ireland, which I had no interest in whatsoever. It seemed an attempt to frame me in my ethnic identity as an Irish Catholic rather than a genuine regards for the abilities which the President saw in me. The Roosevelts never seemed to be fond of Catholics, particularly Eleanor, who despite her many fine qualities, mindlessly aped the Protestant fundamentalist anti-Catholicism of her girlhood.”
Joseph Kennedy interview, 1958
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1936
(D) Joseph P. Kennedy: 52.3%
(R) Leverett E. Saltonstall: 46.6%
Incumbent Governor: James Curley (D)
Governor-elect: Joe Kennedy (D)
“Does anyone know why Joe Kennedy’s victory was symbolic, apart from birthing a new political dynasty? Mark. “Professor, wasn’t it because Kennedy’s victory symbolized the defeat of one of Boston’s most prominent Brahmins by a man who was seen as an upstart, nouveau riche Catholic who they disdained for religious and cultural reasons despite being much more successful, financially and politically?” “I hope those of you in the back are paying attention, because that answer will get you full marks on the relevant midterm exam questions.”
McGill lecture
“Mr. Prime Minister, my contacts have informed me that M. Duplessis will be quitting provincial politics, and coming to Ottawa.” “Mr. Pickersgill, I am well aware of the fact. You seem to have lapses in political common sense. Namely that the Tories, who are in essence the party of Protestants, Toronto bankers and the Orange Order, will not have a French-Canadian Catholic as leader, no matter that he is my strongest opponent, or that he would pose a serious threat. They are so blinded by their prejudices that they do not see him as a way to break our secure domination of the Quebec political scene, or at least challenge Ernest as the dominant politician in Quebec.”
Conversation between Prime Minister Mackenzie King and chief of staff Jack Pickersgill, Jan. 9, 1940
“As you know, your father has gone to Canada for some important political meetings. Joe, you will accompany him on his trip, because your father believes it important for you to meet them.”
Round-robin from Rose Kennedy, Feb. 17
“From the minute my father met Duplessis, it was a meeting of two like minds. Very soon my dad was predicting that he would be the next Prime Minister when King eventually retired, and even contemplated giving up the Governorship to ask FDR to appoint him US Ambassador to Canada. Of course, that became irrelevant when King won the March 1940 election by a landslide, and the hype died down for the remainder of the war.”
Jack Kennedy interview, 1971
Canadian federal election, Mar. 26, 1940
245 Commons seats
Liberal: 181 seats, 50.3%
National Government: 36 seats
CCF: 25 seats
Independents: 3 seats
Incumbent Prime Minister: Mackenzie King (Lib)
“While the Canadian political scene might have been relatively settled, despite the election of Duplessis as the Conservative MP for Trois-Rivieres, the American presidential election was just heating up. In May 1940 Winston Churchill had replaced Neville Chamberlain following the Narvik debacle in late April. President Roosevelt, though he did not declare publicly, had every intention of being the first President in American history to seek a third term. Of course, Roosevelt would not be the last of either party to do so. Upon Roosevelt’s renomination in Chicago in August, Vice President Garner, a staunch critic of the Administration in which he served, left the Democratic Party to run as an “Anti-Interventionist Democrat” with Postmaster General James Farley as his running mate. As you recall from last week, Farley had challenged Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination, and was, of course, swamped by the President.”
McGill lecture, Sept. 14
“FDR chose me as his running mate mainly to secure the Northeast against Farley, in states with high Catholic populations. Especially crucial was New England, New York, and Pennsylvania. There was no chance of Garner receiving electoral votes, but there was a chance of vote-splitting to make the President’s mandate either weak or non-existent.”
Joe Kennedy Oral History, 1959
“After the President’s landslide re-election, I do not say that I had much influence in the Administration. I was directed to coordinate the shipbuilding industry with Henry Kaiser, and that was the extent of my involvement in the war effort. That would change very soon, but such was a shock to both me and everyone I knew.”
“Class, remember to read Chapter 2: “1944 to the Postwar Settlements” for next time. This will be very important in our study of… well, you’ll see next class. Goodbye, and enjoy your weekend.”
Prof. Bunning, Sept. 19th
U.S. presidential election, 1944
(D) Franklin D. Roosevelt/Joseph P. Kennedy: 432 EV, 54.6%
(R) Thomas E. Dewey/John Bricker: 99 EV, 45.3%
Incumbent President: Franklin Roosevelt (D)
Here are some Canadian VIPs and sources which non-Canucks will be unfamiliar with…
J.W. McConnell: leading Quebec industrialist, unquestioned leader of the English-speaking business community in Quebec. He was friendly with Duplessis and Mackenzie King IOTL, owner of the Montreal Star among other things.
J.M.R. Cardinal Villeneuve: Archbishop of Quebec, Primate of Canada
Paul-Emile Cardinal Leger: his successor in both positions
Jack Pickersgill: Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office, confidant to PM Mackenzie King
Fr. Lionel Groulx: Best summarized as the Canadian Coughlin.
Sources/Terminology
Orange Order: A Protestant fraternal organization, virulently anti-French and anti-Catholic. Very popular amongst wealthy Ontarian Protestants.
Montreal Star: Main newspaper of Quebec’s English community, owned by J.W. McConnell.
Le Devoir: directly owned by the Church, the main nationalist newspaper in Quebec.
A Time to Remember
“If one could summarize the postwar period in one word, it would be “security”. Though national security was often emphasized, internal security would be paramount for the Canadian and American governments. Our present-day history begins in the United States, on May 8, 1936. Catch the lights James, and we’ll begin the lecture.”
Lecture by Prof. David Bunning, McGill University, Sept. 2009
“I have decided to seek the governorship of this great state because I believe that President Roosevelt should have a strong backer in the state of Massachusetts. Governor Curley has decided to seek a Senate seat, and I thank the Massachusetts Democratic Party for this nomination. Rest assured your faith in me will be well-rewarded in the future.”
Joseph Kennedy accepting the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, Springfield, May 8, 1936
“President Roosevelt had offered me the Ambassadorship to Ireland, which I had no interest in whatsoever. It seemed an attempt to frame me in my ethnic identity as an Irish Catholic rather than a genuine regards for the abilities which the President saw in me. The Roosevelts never seemed to be fond of Catholics, particularly Eleanor, who despite her many fine qualities, mindlessly aped the Protestant fundamentalist anti-Catholicism of her girlhood.”
Joseph Kennedy interview, 1958
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1936
(D) Joseph P. Kennedy: 52.3%
(R) Leverett E. Saltonstall: 46.6%
Incumbent Governor: James Curley (D)
Governor-elect: Joe Kennedy (D)
“Does anyone know why Joe Kennedy’s victory was symbolic, apart from birthing a new political dynasty? Mark. “Professor, wasn’t it because Kennedy’s victory symbolized the defeat of one of Boston’s most prominent Brahmins by a man who was seen as an upstart, nouveau riche Catholic who they disdained for religious and cultural reasons despite being much more successful, financially and politically?” “I hope those of you in the back are paying attention, because that answer will get you full marks on the relevant midterm exam questions.”
McGill lecture
“Mr. Prime Minister, my contacts have informed me that M. Duplessis will be quitting provincial politics, and coming to Ottawa.” “Mr. Pickersgill, I am well aware of the fact. You seem to have lapses in political common sense. Namely that the Tories, who are in essence the party of Protestants, Toronto bankers and the Orange Order, will not have a French-Canadian Catholic as leader, no matter that he is my strongest opponent, or that he would pose a serious threat. They are so blinded by their prejudices that they do not see him as a way to break our secure domination of the Quebec political scene, or at least challenge Ernest as the dominant politician in Quebec.”
Conversation between Prime Minister Mackenzie King and chief of staff Jack Pickersgill, Jan. 9, 1940
“As you know, your father has gone to Canada for some important political meetings. Joe, you will accompany him on his trip, because your father believes it important for you to meet them.”
Round-robin from Rose Kennedy, Feb. 17
“From the minute my father met Duplessis, it was a meeting of two like minds. Very soon my dad was predicting that he would be the next Prime Minister when King eventually retired, and even contemplated giving up the Governorship to ask FDR to appoint him US Ambassador to Canada. Of course, that became irrelevant when King won the March 1940 election by a landslide, and the hype died down for the remainder of the war.”
Jack Kennedy interview, 1971
Canadian federal election, Mar. 26, 1940
245 Commons seats
Liberal: 181 seats, 50.3%
National Government: 36 seats
CCF: 25 seats
Independents: 3 seats
Incumbent Prime Minister: Mackenzie King (Lib)
“While the Canadian political scene might have been relatively settled, despite the election of Duplessis as the Conservative MP for Trois-Rivieres, the American presidential election was just heating up. In May 1940 Winston Churchill had replaced Neville Chamberlain following the Narvik debacle in late April. President Roosevelt, though he did not declare publicly, had every intention of being the first President in American history to seek a third term. Of course, Roosevelt would not be the last of either party to do so. Upon Roosevelt’s renomination in Chicago in August, Vice President Garner, a staunch critic of the Administration in which he served, left the Democratic Party to run as an “Anti-Interventionist Democrat” with Postmaster General James Farley as his running mate. As you recall from last week, Farley had challenged Roosevelt for the Democratic nomination, and was, of course, swamped by the President.”
McGill lecture, Sept. 14
“FDR chose me as his running mate mainly to secure the Northeast against Farley, in states with high Catholic populations. Especially crucial was New England, New York, and Pennsylvania. There was no chance of Garner receiving electoral votes, but there was a chance of vote-splitting to make the President’s mandate either weak or non-existent.”
Joe Kennedy Oral History, 1959
“After the President’s landslide re-election, I do not say that I had much influence in the Administration. I was directed to coordinate the shipbuilding industry with Henry Kaiser, and that was the extent of my involvement in the war effort. That would change very soon, but such was a shock to both me and everyone I knew.”
“Class, remember to read Chapter 2: “1944 to the Postwar Settlements” for next time. This will be very important in our study of… well, you’ll see next class. Goodbye, and enjoy your weekend.”
Prof. Bunning, Sept. 19th
U.S. presidential election, 1944
(D) Franklin D. Roosevelt/Joseph P. Kennedy: 432 EV, 54.6%
(R) Thomas E. Dewey/John Bricker: 99 EV, 45.3%
Incumbent President: Franklin Roosevelt (D)
Here are some Canadian VIPs and sources which non-Canucks will be unfamiliar with…
J.W. McConnell: leading Quebec industrialist, unquestioned leader of the English-speaking business community in Quebec. He was friendly with Duplessis and Mackenzie King IOTL, owner of the Montreal Star among other things.
J.M.R. Cardinal Villeneuve: Archbishop of Quebec, Primate of Canada
Paul-Emile Cardinal Leger: his successor in both positions
Jack Pickersgill: Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office, confidant to PM Mackenzie King
Fr. Lionel Groulx: Best summarized as the Canadian Coughlin.
Sources/Terminology
Orange Order: A Protestant fraternal organization, virulently anti-French and anti-Catholic. Very popular amongst wealthy Ontarian Protestants.
Montreal Star: Main newspaper of Quebec’s English community, owned by J.W. McConnell.
Le Devoir: directly owned by the Church, the main nationalist newspaper in Quebec.
