Silver Legion of America

The Silver Legion of America, commonly known as the Silver Shirts, was a fascist and pro-Nazi organization founded by William Dudley Pelley in Asheville, North Carolina. A former journalist, novelist, and screenwriter turned spiritualist, Pelley began promoting antisemitic views by 1931, believing Jews were possessed by demons. He established the group to achieve "spiritual and political renewal," inspired by Adolf Hitler's Nazi movement. The Silver Legion adopted a paramilitary uniform resembling the Nazi brown shirts, with a silver shirt, blue tie, campaign hat, and blue corduroy trousers. By 1934, they claimed 15,000 members.

Pelley advocated for a "Christian Commonwealth" in America, combining fascism, theocracy, and socialism while excluding Jews and non-whites. He ran in the 1936 presidential election under the Christian Party but failed to make a significant impact. Membership declined to around 5,000 by 1937. A small office was established in Spokane, with about 200 members before the group dissolved.

The Silver Legion faced opposition, such as when David Berman disrupted a rally in Minneapolis. After Pearl Harbor, Pelley disbanded the organization in December 1941. In January 1942, he was sentenced to two to three years in prison for violating probation terms related to a 1935 conviction for violating North Carolina security laws.

In popular culture, Sinclair Lewis's novel *It Can't Happen Here* depicts a fascist takeover inspired by the Silver Legion. The video game *Hearts of Iron IV* features the group as the ruling party if the United States turns fascist.