"Watching Darkness Fall", by David McKean

FDR, His Ambassadors and the Rise of Adolph Hitler

“Watching Darkness Fall” is of considerable interest for those fascinated in history especially in the Roosevelt era. The account provides us with a broad-ranging study of the role of ambassadors in delivering information about the rise of Europe’s regimes from 1933 to 1941.

Mr. McKean delivers a biography of four American diplomats as they struggle to handle the rise of fascism. The information taken from diaries, letters and records reveals that the President counted on his ambassadors in France, Germany, Great Britain and Italy to collect information needed to make proper decisions. All but one of FDR’s ambassadors misjudged Hitler and his intentions.

From the perspective of Joseph Kennedy, William Dodd, Breckinridge Long and William Bullitt who witnessed the rise of the Third Reich firsthand often communicated with the president to inform him. McKean argues that although Roosevelt was more interested in domestic concerns at the time he was also very skeptical of his emissaries’ correspondence. Eventually Roosevelt intelligence channels led him away from being cautious over international involvement to the certainty that his country would be facing a European war. Then Pearl Harbor happened and all changed.

This account covers a lot and is so loaded with facts and people it can be overwhelming at times, I know I was and needed to put it aside multiple times and concentrate on something lighter. Although, this book is a long read and a tedious one the vivid depiction of the individuals will make the reader (me) want to pursuit and not abandoned it in order to broaden knowledge, we learn a lot: not only of FDR but also the diplomatic dance before America plunged into the war and what transpired during the event all the way to FDR collapse and death and beyond his tenure. I could say more but this is one of those books that should be read and appreciated individually.

No doubt, “Watching Darkness Fall” is an interesting book for all. Historical buffs will love it and rookies will have their interest piqued.....and some will pass on it, definitely not for everyone.

I would like to thank St-Martin Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.