Hollywood's road to war: The film industry and the great debate over intervention
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore Hollywood's role in the isolationist-interventionist debate that preceeded America's involvement in the Second World War. The major figures of the American film industry were called before a Sub-Committee of the Senate Committee on Interstate Commerce in September of 1941 to explain what had been labeled as a "premature anti-Nazi" stance in certain motion pictures. Senate Resolution 152 empowered the isolationist Sub-Committee to hear testimony concerning "propaganda in motion-pictures and radio" to decide if there was enough evidence of purposfully inciting "war fever" to warrant a full investigation by the Interstate Commerce Committee. None of the leaders in the radio industry were ever called to testify and the debate over isolationism ended on 7 December 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Roberts, Purdue University.
Subject Area
American history|Motion Pictures
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