The Greatest Generation destroyed fascism in Germany in WWII, but it has now returned to America

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, leader of the Allied forces

When Tom Brokaw created the name of those veterans who carried the United States to victory against Germany and Japan in World War II, it was so apropos.

The Greatest Generation.

They destroyed the vestiges of the Nazis in Germany and Hirohito’s Japanese who brought us into the battles at Pearl Harbor. The world truly was a bastion of freedom because of not just our founding fathers but because of those who fought to sustain democracy and the principles of freedom that the country has exemplified for centuries.

However, the members of the Greatest Generation would be shocked at how America has turned back to fascism.

Who were they?

Here is a short capsule about them,

The term “Greatest Generation” refers to those who lived through the Great Depression and fought in World War II, embodying a spirit of resilience, courage, and patriotism. This generation, born between 1901 and 1927, faced unprecedented challenges and responded with unwavering determination. They not only secured victory in one of the most significant conflicts in human history but also laid the groundwork for the prosperous and democratic world we live in today.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s D-Day message to the troops encapsulates the spirit of the Greatest Generation. On June 6, 1944, as Allied forces prepared for the historic invasion of Normandy, Eisenhower addressed the soldiers, sailors, and airmen with words of encouragement and resolve. He acknowledged the monumental task ahead and reminded them of the stakes: “The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.” This message not only galvanized the troops but also symbolized the unity and shared purpose that defined this remarkable generation.

The sacrifices made by the Greatest Generation are etched in history. They left their homes and families to fight on distant shores, enduring unimaginable hardships and dangers. Many did not return, giving their lives for the cause of freedom. Those who survived returned to build families, communities, and nations, bringing the same sense of duty and perseverance to post-war reconstruction and growth. Their legacy is a testament to what can be achieved when individuals come together for a common cause, driven by a deep sense of duty and love for their country.

Donna Bulger, “The Greatest Generation: A Legacy of Valor and

Sacrifice,” Veterans Corner, June 6, 2024

They lived through the Great Depression and then when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, they immediately signed up to defend our countries against two horrific authoritarian governments.

Now, they are almost all gone, and they are missed.

They destroyed fascism

Hitler was a despicable despot, and fascism was just as despicable as he was. As we celebrate the veterans on Nov. 11, we must remember what they did for us — and how the country is allowing those fascists who marched on Madison Square Garden in 1939 to return.

as I’ve watched the modern-news unfold, I’ve come to believe that in losing the World War II generation, we are losing more than just the memories of combat in Europe, Africa, and the Pacific, or the memories of working in homefront factories building aircraft in Willow Run in Michigan, landing craft at Higgins Industries in New Orleans, or manufacturing uranium in Oak Ridge, Tenn., as part of the war’s inner-most secret, the Manhattan Project.

We are losing, too, the memory and experience of what it means to fight fascism and authoritarianism.

It doesn’t seem a coincidence that the US is watching democracy unwind here at home and flirting with authoritarianism fascism exactly 80 years after the end of World War II. We are in the process of losing the last of the generation who fought to rid the world of fascism and then fought to build an alternate world order.

Losing the last of Greatest Generation means we are losing the last of the generation who understand just how evil actual fascism is, how hard it is to rid the world of authoritarian governments once they’re established, and how hard it is to build a successful alternative. 

Garrett Graff, “What We Lost When We Lost the Greatest

Generation,” Doomsday Scenario, Aug. 5, 2025

What few people realize is that fascism and American Nazis existed in the 1930s and early 40s.

Here is what happened in 1939.

On the evening of Feb. 20, 1939, the marquee of New York's Madison Square Garden was lit up with the evening's main event: a "Pro American Rally." The organizers had chosen the date in celebration of George Washington's birthday and had procured a 30-foot-tall banner of America's first president for the stage. More than 20,000 men and women streamed inside and took their seats. The view they had was stunning: Washington was hung between American flags — and swastikas.

The rally was sponsored by the German American Bund, an organization with headquarters in Manhattan and thousands of members across the United States. In the 1930s, the Bund was one of several organizations in the United States that were openly supportive of Adolf Hitler and the rise of fascism in Europe. They had parades, bookstores and summer camps for youth. Their vision for America was a cocktail of white supremacy, fascist ideology and American patriotism.

At Madison Square Garden, the rally opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. The mood was jubilant. Attendees wore Nazi armbands, waved American flags and held aloft posters with slogans like "Stop Jewish Domination of Christian America." There were storm troopers in the aisles, their uniforms almost identical to those of Nazi Germany. "It looked like any political rally — only with a Nazi twist," said Arnie Bernstein, author of Swastika Nation.

The speeches were explicitly anti-Semitic, and tirades against "job-taking Jewish refugees" were met with thunderous applause. "They demanded a white gentile America. They denounced Roosevelt as 'Rosenfeld,' to say that Roosevelt was in the pocket of rich Jews," said Sarah Churchwell, author of Behold, America. In equal measure to the xenophobia, the speeches were loaded with American boosterism.

Sarah Kate Kramer, “When Nazis Took Manhattan,” NPR, Feb. 20, 2019

They have returned in 2025

With the return of Donald Trump in 2025, the neo-Nazis and white supremacists in America have become energized,

One week into Donald Trump’s second administration and the verdict among far-right activists and neo-Nazis is that the next four years will be a time to relax, organize and take advantage of the popular awakening of American fascism.

“Be ready to cash out the next four years,” wrote one delighted neo-Nazi account on Telegram, in a post viewed more than 1,000 times. “Get the bag, infiltrate existing institutions with power, build new institutions while we have breathing room, and tear down anything leftist.”

During the Biden administration, which presided over an FBI that aggressively dismantled rightwing extremist groups of every ilk, along with the gargantuan January 6 investigations netting thousands of suspects, anxiety on the far right ran high.

Even in chatrooms online, major tech companies booted and reported them to authorities, while mainstream culture vilified their racist antics.

The Aryan Freedom Network, a neo-Nazi political organization with chapters all over the country, urged members to “find companies that are hiring or harboring illegal aliens and reporting them to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE.

“In order for us all to stop the Great Replacement and to save the white working class jobs, every white nationalist must do their part to save white America!” it said, before posting contacts to Ice tip lines. “If you know of a company or individuals that is helping the Invaders, report them to the following links below.”

Ben Mach, “Energized neo-Nazis feel their moment has come as Trump changes everything,” The Guardian, Jan. 26, 2025

They were the Greatest Generation. What will historians call this period of American history?