Wheeler was a real-life U.S. senator from Montana who initially supported FDR during his first term but eventually opposed several New Deal tenets and soon became Roosevelt’s political enemy. Once a more liberal democrat, in the early 1940s, Wheeler began to align himself with Republicans and Southern Democrats: he opposed American entry into World War II, helped to found the America First movement, and called the Democratic Party the “war party.” Wheeler was a fan and supporter of Lindbergh in real life—and in the novel, he becomes Lindbergh’s running mate as Lindbergh enters the presidential election of 1940. When Lindbergh disappears in the fall of 1942, Wheeler tries to assume totalitarian power over America over a swift and violent few days in mid-October, but ultimately, he is forced to relinquish power before his dastardly coup is complete.
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Burton K. Wheeler Character Timeline in The Plot Against America
The timeline below shows where the character Burton K. Wheeler appears in The Plot Against America. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 5: Never Before
...nationwide address since leaving office to urge the administration to rescind their invitation. Vice President Wheeler—a former Democrat turned founding member of the America First movement—mocks Roosevelt’s “irresponsible” entry into the...
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Chapter 8: Bad Days
...evening, it seems more obvious than ever that Lindbergh’s plane has simply vanished. Burton K. Wheeler, Lindbergh’s controversial Vice President, assumes the duties of acting president. Headlines across America read: “WHERE...
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...across the country awake to find that martial law has been imposed under Acting President Wheeler—rumor has it that Lindbergh has been kidnapped and is being held hostage somewhere in North...
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...to silence Lindbergh’s radio, and are now holding him in captivity in Canada. Acting President Wheeler, ignoring common sense, examines this German intel carefully with the help of several White House...
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On Sunday, October 11th, after a national day of prayer, Acting President Wheeler addresses the nation via radio to assure his fellow Americans that he has not abandoned...
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On Tuesday, October 13th, Wheeler addresses the nation and blames the riots on the British government and its American supporters....
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...the National Guard, for the FBI to release those arrested, and for Congress to remove Wheeler from office and appoint the secretary of state to the presidency. Wheeler, she says, was...
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...Frustrated with his failure to comply with their vision, the Nazis disappeared Lindbergh and appointed Wheeler, who was more sympathetic to their cause, to the presidency. The Nazis, following Lindbergh’s capture,...
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...Lindbergh. Philip wonders if Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s radio speech—and her call for the end of Wheeler’s presidency—meant that her son Charles Jr. came to harm (or whether the child the Nazis...
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