Reply #25: Joe Kennedy was pro-Hitler [View All]

Maybe it's just a Catholic thing; we know that this was at least part of the issue, along with Irish nationalism.

Kennedy was removed as embassador to England in 1940 when it was discovered that he was involved with passing secrets from the British Government to the Germans. British Intelligence wanted to prosecute him, but Roosevelt intervened, ending Kennedy's political career in the process. (No love lost anyway; Roosevelt and Kennedy had serious problems with each other dating back at least until 1917.) The British were furious, but what could they do? They were allowed to try two U.S. Navy Petty Officers for espionage, and they were convicted and executed. Yes, that's right, executed.

This is all detailed in William Stevenson's "A Man Called Intrepid", written by the Canadian head of counter-intelligence at Bletchley Park.