Charles A. Willoughby and the Anti-Communist Crusade

“Beware the Red Peril!” was the clarion call of General Charles A. Willoughby at the close of World War II. The refrain echoed from Capitol Hill into American living rooms. For three decades after the war, the Old Right crusaded against global communist expansion, sniffing out internal and external threats to the American way of life.
These paleo-conservatives faced resistance from the Left, as well as from an emerging faction on the Right that sought to frame a new identity for conservatism. Despite those obstacles, the Old Right made a lasting imprint on geopolitical thought in the early Cold War period. This book investigates their influence, the roles played by women, minorities and Jewish conservatives, and their legacy in early 20th century ideologies.

John W. Lemza, Ph.D., retired after serving more than 20 years in military service including eight years abroad in Europe and Asia. His research interests focus on post–1945 American cultural, social and political history. He lives in Midlothian, Virginia.

John W. Lemza
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 229
Bibliographic Info: 13 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2024
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9350-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5097-5
Imprint: McFarland

Acronyms and Abbreviations  viii

Preface  1

Introduction  3

Chapter 1

The Shanghai Conspiracy  13

Chapter 2

The Great Crusade  40

Chapter 3

Asia First  82

Chapter 4

The European Cauldron  116

Chapter 5

New Geopolitical Realities  141

Conclusion  162

Appendix A: Congressional Hearings Testimony  169

Appendix B: Congressional Record References  171

Chapter Notes  177

Bibliography  207

Index  211