Bill-O and the Fox: Linkage and Leverage in Postwar Harlem Politics, 1945-1950 (Biography‪)‬

In 1945, change was in the air. The war was over, and millions of Americans celebrated the two-front victory over fascism and the homecoming of their loved ones. And nowhere was the celebration bigger than in New York. The crossroads of the world welcomed thousands back to America's shores, whether they came by ship or by airplane. Some would return for college careers under the G.I. Bill, while others would return to civilian jobs. For a returning Brigadier General named William O'Dwyer, the next stop would be a destination he had sought four years earlier--City Hall. A former policeman, lawyer, and Brooklyn District Attorney, Democrat William O'Dwyer had run strongly against popular incumbent Fiorello La Guardia for mayor of New York City in 1941. La Guardia had won reelection back then, but four years later things were different. The mayor was attacked for spreading himself too thin; as Director of Civilian Defense, he shuttled back and forth to Washington each week, and his critics claimed that his defense work distracted his attention from important city business. La Guardia's weakening ties with the Republican Party made it all but certain that he could not get their nomination a fourth time. And the American Labor Party (ALP) was divided between its Communist and non-Communist supporters. It would be tough for La Guardia to balance his former coalition through yet another election. The mayor had also entertained frustrated ambitions for higher office, and he no longer looked forward to staying at City Hall. So he said good-bye.