Historical Look: J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI

Although Clint Eastwood's film, J. Edgar, was a major disappointment, it succeeded in presenting an in-depth profile of this historical figure. As founder and director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for over 50 years, John Edgar Hoover can rightfully be considered one of the most powerful and interesting leaders in American history. He oversaw a wide range of social and political issues, ranging from a war against Communism, a war against Gangsters, and a war against Civil Rights, all in the name of national security. He answered only to the attorney general and the president, yet would eventually precede them through his intelligence. His career was clouded with numerous victories, as well as numerous controversies. This entry is a timeline of J. Edgar's career and his major role in American History.

The Red Scare (1919-1920)

After WWI, J. Edgar Hoover finished his master of law degree from George Washington University and began his career with the Justice Department under the leadership of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer. At this time, a widespread fear of communism and anarchism known as the Red Scare, had overtaken the United States government, in reaction to Russia's Bolshevik Revolution.  This movement became quite prevalent withing the states, from 1919-1920, and was led by labor-organizations demanding equal rights. The movement grew more radical when anarchists began a bombing campaign against many political and business leaders. In the 1919 Anarchist Bombings, Attorney General Mitchell Palmer, and businessman John D. Rockefeller were a few of the key targets. These attacks, initiated a strong response from the government, and became the seed to J. Edgar Hoover's long career.

In response to bombings, Mitchell Palmer, quickly promoted J. Edgar to become head of a new intelligence division. He thus began his career hunting anarchists and communists, in what became known as the Palmer Raids. By 1920, Hoover had amassed a list of over 60,000 political radicals, arrested over 10,00, and deported nearly 600. Key Anarchist leaders such as Luigi Galleani, who organized the bombings, and the well-known political philosopher Emma Goldman were tried and deported from the United States. In 1924, after his successful campaign against political opponents, J. Edgar Hoover became director of the Bureau of Investigation.

Prohibition and The Mafia (1920-1930)

In 1920, Christian Fundamentalists pushed the US Government to pass the 18th Amendment of Prohibition, which made alcohol illegal in the states. This led to the rise of Organized Crime, and underground business. Italian Mafias and notorious gangsters such as Al Capone, Frank Costello, and Lucky Luciano came to prominence during these years, making a fortune off of illegal business. They conducted numerous underground operations such as speak-easys, bookkeeping, exploitation, and gambling to name a few. These underground businesses often led to terrible violence and even gang-wars. J. Edgar's response to this illegal crime was suspiciously ignorant, and thus one of his first major controversies. These mafia organizations prospered for over 30 years, even after the repeal of prohibition, and into the 1950s. There is an obvious speculation that J. Edgar Hoover was perhaps bribed or informed by underground leaders, such as Frank Costello, to not interfere in their business. This can be seen as one of the first of many discrepancies, in J. Edgar's controversial career.



The Lindbergh Case (1932-1934)

In 1932, the baby of world famous aviator, Charles Lindberg, was kidnapped in what became considered "the Crime of the Century". This led to a 2-year investigation headed up by J. Edgar Hoover and his Bureau of Investigation. The dead body of the infant was eventually found near the house, with a fractured skull. Hoover's team arrested and charged a German convict, named Bruno Hauptmann. Bruno however denied these charges, and it is believed that Hoover had some doubts on the investigation. Following this public crime, Hoover was able to push forth the Lindbergh Law, which made kidnappings a federal crime.



 Public Enemies (1930-1935)

During the Great Depression, J. Edgar began a fierce campaign against bank robbers, in what became known as the Public Enemy Era. Many criminals such as Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, Mia Parker, Alvin Karpis, Machine Gun Kelly, and the infamous John Dillinger had risen to infamy throughout the MidWest, thanks to powerful automatic weapons and faster cars. For a while these criminals were romanticized by the press and the general public and continued to insult the law. This of course infuriated J. Edgar Hoover who became all the more intent to capture them. Federal agents, such as Melvin Purvis, became instant celebrities when they captured or killed criminals such as John Dillinger. By 1935 J. Edgar Hoover was able to broaden his power, with new fingerprinting identifications, a new laboratory, and the establishment of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


WW2 Subversion and Espionage (1936-1952)
 
With the rise of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, J. Edgar grew very concerned with foreign subversion. He thus began a new campaign of counter-espionage, against potential German spies. He made numerous arrests throughout WWII, keeping the country free of sabotage. During the Venona Project, the US and UK formed a joint partnership of cryptanalysis, on Soviet spies. The FBI took a significant role in leading this new tactic of eavesdropping and code-breaking. After WWII, and the beginning of the Cold War, many of these espionage and intelligence responsibilities were handed over to the newly organized Central Intelligence Agency. J. Edgar was of course impartial to the organization, and kept many of his files secret.

COINTELPRO (1956-1971)

During the Cold War, a Second Red Scare, gripped the United States, in response to the Berlin Blockade, the Chinese Civil War, and the Korean War. This scare was led by a senator named Joseph McCarthy who shared similar anti-communist views as director J. Edgar Hoover, and together they began the movement of McCarthyism. In 1956, J. Edgar organized a top-secret Counter Intelligence Program, known as COINTELPRO, that conducted covert surveillance, infiltration, and disruption of political organizations.

COINTELPRO began to sabotage many growing movements such as the Civil Rights Movement, American-Indian Movements, and Anti-War Movements, which they all considered a threat to national security. They infiltrated numerous organizations such as the NAACP, the Black Panthers, Students for a Democratic Society, and the Weathermen using tactics that were illegal and often resulted in violence. This top-secret purge lasted from 1956-1971 and is without question J. Edgar's most controversial direction, and was a total abuse of power.

Civil Rights (1955-1968)

J. Edgar Hoover despised the Civil Rights Movement, and its key leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr.. He claimed that the movement was driven by communist-affiliation, yet it's more likely that his intentions were personal and purely racist. Hoover continuously tried to black-male and sabotage the movement, by undermining Martin Luther King. The FBI kept a close monitor on MLK, and tried numerous times to exploit his sexual endeavors. They sunk even further, when they sent MLK death threats and an infamous letter urging him to kill himself. When MLK was assassinated in 1968, they celebrated his death. This is no doubt another poor reflection on J. Edgar's overall character.

The Kennedys (1960-1963)

By the time John F. Kennedy was president, Hoover had developed a notorious ego, and was constantly in conflict with Attorney General Robert Kennedy. It is believed that President Kennedy was intent on replacing J. Edgar Hoover. This notion may support numerous conspiracies suggesting that the FBI oversaw the president's assassination in 1963. It was also argued that the FBI did little to investigate possible conspiracies.  Hoover did however lead the FBI investigation of the JFK assassination, and testified during the Warren Commission. Following the Warren Commission, President Lyndon B. Johnson decided it would be politically costly to dismiss J. Edgar Hoover, and allowed him to remain director for life.

Historical Legacy

By the end of his career J. Edgar Hoover had obtained mountains of top-secret files, and had developed a notorious ego and reputation. He specialized in "dirty tricks" by collecting surveillance and wire-taps on many prominent social and political leaders, even the president. By the end of his career, he was arguably, one of the most powerful men in the United States. His personal life was  clouded with abnormalities, such as living with his mother until he was 38, never getting married, cross-dressing, and a homosexual relation with his deputy Clyde Tolson.

Although J. Edgar lived a strange lifestyle, a career full of controversy, and had many character flaws, he brought forth an undeniable passion for his country. He practically created and directed the FBI from his own patriotic vision, and turned it into the highly respected organization that it is today. For over 50 years, he interceded in America's history ranging from the Red Scare, the Great Depression, WWII, the Cold War, and to the Civil Rights Movement. He was behind it all, fighting in the name of national security. There are still many questions yet to be answered, about his life, his career, and his motives, which I suppose makes him all the more mysterious and interesting.