I've read a little on how Nazis were initially viewed very sympathetically here in the US (Hitler man of the year, Nazi rallies and Summer camps etc.) I've also been told that had we not gone to war with Japan, that Nazism may have grown to be a more serious political party within the States.
How accurate are either of these claims? What is the history of Nazism in America?
Edit: I realize a portion of this question might come off as a "speculative Nazi future" scenario. My comment on "not going to war with Japan... Nazism may have grown" was more simply to drive the point forward that Nazism had strong enough roots in America for this to potentially happen. In short: my primary interest is the actual history of Nazism in America, and less so "what would have happened if..." though of course, all knowledge is most welcome! Thank you!
Firstly, I think it's important to note that Time Magazine's Person of the Year is about the newsworthiness of the person, rather than a judgement of their moral, political, or social contributions. As Time phrases it, they choose the person who "for better or for worse... has done the most to influence the events of the year."
It's impossible to disprove a counterfactual, so I can't say that some form of Nazism could never possibly gained any kind of political power in the United States, but it's clear that it wasn't headed in that direction by September 1939 when Germany went to war with England and France. The Amerikadeutscher Volksbund, the largest and most visible American Nazi group, was disbanded that year when its leader was convicted of embezzlement. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigated Nazis in the same way it did communists during the second half of the decade.
While Nazism as a whole had little chance in of gaining power, many of its ideas had supporters at high levels. These notably included Charles Lindbergh, an outspoken advocate for eugenics programs; Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., who believed in Jewish Conspiracy theories; and Henry Ford, who had published newspapers and books about Jewish Conspiracy theories. All three men would also be among the loudest anti-war activists before December 1941, and the entry into the war helped to discredit the radical ideas they shared with the Nazis.