(Burton K. Wheeler - the visage of a Gorilla or Bison suit to his lower right gives one pause)

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An all but forgotten figure now but at the time (prior to our involvement in World War 2), Senator Burton K. Wheeler was an outspoken critic of the Lend-Lease Bill and HR 1776, which granted war making powers to the President. Initially an avid supporter of the America First Committee, even to the point of entertaining a vice-Presidential run on a third party ticket alongside Charles Lindbergh's Presidential candidacy. But just prior to Pearl Harbor in 1941, Wheeler was a frequent speaker on behalf of neutrality in our involvement in the European conflict.

Sen. Burton K. Wheeler: “HR 1776, a bill granting the President the right to give billions of American taxpayers dollars to finance foreign wars in any country on any continent in the world and for other purposes is now the law of the land. The bill was debated fully. The majority of both houses voted for it. The President signed it. It must and should be respected by all our people regardless of their previous opposition to it.”

Wheeler did an abrupt about-face after Pearl Harbor, even though it was always argued what his intentions were. There were many allegations that Wheeler, like many figures in the America First Movement were dupes of Berlin or simply naive. Regardless, Burton K. Wheeler was a visible figure in the Neutrality Movement.

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This day in 1941 was staring at the 600th since that ominous overture to Poland in 1939. And in that time, Europe was engulfed in a series of invasions, surrenders and daily desperation.

From London came word that German bombing raids over Britain the previous night were mostly confined to the Southeast and Northeast of England, but casualties were reported to be small. It was also the second successive night London went without a raid alarm.

The RAF retaliated with attacks on targets throughout occupied Europe.

The Free French Island of Tahiti declared itself on the side of DeGaulle.

There were unconfirmed yet persistent reports that Athens had fallen to the Germans and that Greece was in danger of being a lost Allied cause.

From Berlin came news that the previous nights address by Charles Lindbergh of the America First Committee at Madison Square Garden in New York drew praise in the German press, fueling speculation that maybe America would not get involved in the War after all.

Hitler concluded talks with Hungarian leaders in the wake of preparing German plans for the occupied Balkan region. Japanese Foreign Minister Matsuoka returned to Tokyo, armed with assurances and a renewed alliance with Berlin. Rumors that Germany was planning a move to Spain and Portugal were shrugged off as British propaganda, despite credible reports that some 2,500 German operatives posing as "tourists" were roaming the streets of Madrid.

It was also learned that German brewers were considering the idea of "light beer" to go with calls from the government to curb alcohol use, even though they hadn't even entered the experimental stage yet. And shortages were turning into rationing of cigarettes and cigars, in the wake of government calls to ban tobacco, which was deemed not such a good thing from a morale point of view.

And back in the U.S. - Secretary of State Cordell Hull called for renewed support of Britain in their fight against the axis and to support Lend-Lease.

All on this day in April, 1941 as reported by NBC and it's News Of The World.

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(The Waiting Game)

As the threat of war became increasingly inevitable, the evacuations started, the recall of ambassadors and non-essential personnel, packing and going home. Waiting for the next shoe to drop.

The BBC World service reported the goings on during the day of August 27, 1939.

BBC Newsreader: “Railway traffic in Germany is to be still further restricted, and in future the railways will not undertake to carry any private passengers. The German Traffic Minister in a broadcast said that this step is being taken to avoid the serious delay in bringing food to the big cities. In some places the delay is leading to great disorganization. Germany has assured Denmark and Lithuania that she will respect their neutrality.”

Nobody blinked.