"Indians ban Swastika," Tucson, Arizona, February 27, 1940..."

And this was nearly a year before the USA entered WWII.

i think your observations are right on. Keep up the good work.

Sad BUT True!

I'm so glad this was mentioned. My great grandfather was in the 45th Infantry Division after WWI and into WWII. The 45th was made up of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Their insignia was a swastika, a nod to the indian tribes from that area. When the Nazis rose to power, the entire division had to rip their patches off and take all uses of the insignia down while work began on a new design. They eventually switched to a Thunderbird. He used to talk about it all the time and we have many pictures of him in uniforms with swastikas . . . so interesting to see. He would always keep those old pictures of him wearing swastikas well hidden for fear of any visitors ever mistaking the symbol. He hated how the Nazis used it.

Here is some more info from the 45th about the history of their insignia:
http://www.m38a1.com/Misc-MV/thunderbirds.htm

Your historical research here is less than thorough, and the answer as to where the symbol "came from" is actually better documented than you think. Most Nazi imagery was appropriated (might as well say it was "stolen") from the Sassanid Persians. The eagle emblem they ultimately used is based on the Zoroastrian fravahar that is seen on the ruins of Persepolis, and I even think I've seen photos with the swastika in the center of the emblem's circle comparing it to the Nazi imagery. The term Aryan (sound familiar) was the original name of these people. Hitler, Spier, and Goebbels realized that this was perhaps "the world's first perfect civilization" and wanted to emulate it so they bastardized and "rebranded" everything they could as part of their effort.

The effects you're pointing to can even be seen when it comes to other towns such as one in northern New Hampshire called Berlin, except that with the outbreak of WWII it changed its pronunciation so that the emphasis was on the first syllable.

Not to mention the importance of the swastika in Hinduism and it's ubiquitous presence not only in temples and on almost every depiction of the gods of the Hindu pantheon, but also on products in and coming out of India, like "Swastik" soap. see spicesofindia.co.uk to see a picture of the label.

I've seen the swastika used in West Africa for religious purposes and I'm fairly sure it was applied without any understanding of the connotations it evokes for some. Knowing that, I still found it troubling every time I came across the symbol.

B. Hunter,

Yes there is plenty written on the origins. Most notably:THE SWASTIKA, THE EARLIEST KNOWN SYMBOL, AND ITS MIGRATION; WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE MIGRATION OF CERTAIN INDUSTRIES IN PREHISTORIC TIMES, by THOMAS WILSON, year ending June 30, 1894, Report of the U. S. National Museum.

However, even Mr. Wilson cannot truly pinpoint its origin or purpose.

In a few years any first hand experience of the holocaust will be gone. I am most interested in the meaning of the swastika symbol for the future.
With the last of the generation of people who experienced the symbol's horror first hand soon to die out, the repressive and criminal meaning of the symbol will become dilluted and distanced, ultimately within 3 or 4 generations (maybe sooner) loosing it's potency. Although there will be remants of the criminal and oppressive meaning in museums and educational institutions/programs, will future generations have the same emotional responce? Only through education of it's past meanings, but even then they will be so distanced from it that it cannot potentially have the same psychological responce.
I look forward to reading your book.

Isn't the Beatle's tune Helterskelter in the same boat, but to a lesser extent? In their album Rattle and Hum Bono said, "This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles - we're stealing it back..." But did they, or did they only remind everyone of the link between Manson and that song by making the statement?.....