I'm An American -- Henry Morgenthau Sr

On June 1, 1941 Henry Morgenthau Sr. spoke with Ugo Carusi, Executive Assistant to the Attorney General, about why democracy must be protected. The Ambassador refers to democracy as a decent workable way of life best for all. He goes on to say that he believes America will be called upon to be the saviour of civilization. Morgenthau references living through good, bad and honest mistakes from governments. He warns against of Nazi theories, history repeating itself and the war on democracy through the use of propaganda. Morgenthau talks about his career and relationship with President Woodrow Wilson. He expresses his concern that America won’t be ready and able to defend democracy when then the time comes. He furthers his argument by stating there is no time for hesitation when “ruthless and barbaric people want to rule the world.” Morgenthau Sr. closes the program by referencing the German immigrants who came to the US during WWI because their political liberties were suppressed. Henry Morgenthau Sr. was born on April 26, 1856 in Mannheim, Germany to an Ashkenazi Jewish family. His father was a successful cigar manufacturer. However, the business suffered a severe setback during the American Civil War due to the 1862 tobacco tariff on imports which closed German tobacco exports to America forever. In 1866, the family emigrated to New York. Henry graduated from Columbia Law School and become a successful lawyer and active in Democratic Party politics. He bonded with Woodrow Wilson in 1911 and contributed handsomely to his election campaign. Morgenthau went on to become to the U.S. Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (1913-1916) during the Armenian Genocide. Infuriated with his relationship with the Ottoman government, he resigned from the ambassadorship in 1916. Morgenthau published his conversations with Ottoman leaders and his account of the Armenian genocide in 1918 under the title "Ambassador Morgenthau's Story," in which he stressed the German influence and role in the Ottoman Empire.