I often have been tempted to respond to Bruce Kaufmann’s weekly history columns in this paper. I nearly succumbed to that urge when he argued in a recent column that Khrushchev’s withdrawal of missiles from Cuba constituted a Soviet victory — in my mind, a ludicrous thesis. Although I resisted a response at that time, I cannot show similar restraint to his recent column about the bombing of Dresden, Germany, in February, 1945, a column in which he shows little awareness of current scholarship on the subject.
For example, Kaufmann’s assertion that 135,000 civilians died in the attack (more than died at Hiroshima incidentally) is not only exaggerated, but out-right wrong. The origin of that figure stems from a briefing that the Nazi Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, gave to reporters from neutral countries shortly after the attack. This was perhaps Goebbels last propaganda success, since a subsequent Swedish newspaper article put the death toll at between 100,000 and 200,000.
East German leaders were later to claim that hundreds of thousands had died in the raid, and David Irving, a British historian and notorious Holocaust denier (he has spent time in jail for this) perpetuated the Nazi and East German exaggerations in his 1963 work, “The Destruction of Dresden.” Six years later Kurt Vonnegut, who survived the bombing as a Prisoner of War, quoted Irving in his novel, “Slaughterhouse Five.” Vonnegut’s narrator in the novel notes that casualty figures at Dresden had been worse than at Hiroshima.
The most definitive work on Dresden is Frederick Taylor’s “Dresden: Tuesday, February 13, 1945.” (I would also recommend the Feb. 1 article in The New Yorker by George Packer.) Taylor’s exhaustive research puts the casualty figures at between 25,000 and 40,000. Taylor also demolishes another Nazi myth (bought into by Kaufmann), namely that Dresden was not a legitimate military target. Dresden was a large industrial city, whose factories had, in fact, been converted to produce bombsights, time-delayed fuses, and other hardware for the German military.
Dresden was also a rail hub for the movement of German troops as well as for Jewish prisoners bound for Theresienstadt and Auschwitz. Taylor also points out that on Jan. 1, 1945, the German Army General Staff secretly classified Dresden a key “defensive area” in a line of last-ditch resistance to the advance of the Red Army.
Finally, Dresden was a longtime center of anti-Semitism in Germany (see the diaries of Victor Klemperer, a literature professor a the Technical University of Dresden), and there were eight small concentration camps in Dresden (satellite camps) containing about 3,100 prisoners. The Action T-4, the Nazi program for exterminating people with disabilities, also was headquartered in a Dresden villa (it is no longer standing, but a sign points to its former location). Dresden was certainly as legitimate a target as any other German city.
The impact of the Allied bombing of Dresden and of all German cities was horrendous (see Jorg Friedrich’s work, “Fire: The bombing of Germany, 1940-1945”). But so too were the many Nazi crimes, including the European War’s first air attack primarily against civilians, namely the November, 1940, Nazi bombing of the British West Midland city of Coventry (it was hit again in April, 1941).
One might easily argue that all such acts were immoral, including the Allied attack on Dresden — Churchill later said as much. But in the conflagration of the Second World War, the attack on Dresden was not illogical or even unusual.
— Donald L. Layton
Terre Haute
Ignoring the facts on climate change
I read with interest Mr. Brooks Norris’ letter about the controversy over climate change, aka global warming and I wonder what it will take to get this country off of its addiction to oil. I wish that I was as naïve as Brooks Norris, but not in denial as he evidently must be.
Mr. Norris, attacking Dr. George Bakken will not help, regardless of how much you perceive that others share your simplistic disdain for anything academic. In Indiana, you DO have a majority of supporters of your point judging from how our Republican governor shares your disrespect for education and academia in his statewide cuts to education. But attacking Al Gore won’t help. After all, how long has it been since Al has held a public office?
Embracing big money, which recently won a Supreme Court victory allowing them to use their money to trash political opponents, is playing into the hands of the energy barons. The big oil folks hold America in a death grip. Yours is an action of the brainwashed, if indeed any still possess a brain in this meth-rattled society.
Hunting the UK Telegraph Web site for the picture at the Web address to which Mr. Norris referred us just gave me a plethora of stories about the melting polar ice cap and global warming. Probably he never looked around the Web site that so thoroughly contradicts his letter. He probably just copied the Internet address for an obscure photo from some ignorant conservative propaganda source paid for by the oil companies.
The facts are that the climate IS changing and just sticking your head somewhere (wherever it is that you are sticking your head, I don’t need to know) is not going to change the facts. When we all are dead, whoever is left is going to have to deal with the results of global warming AND the national debt.
Nevertheless, I notice that there was a flood in the desert of Saudi Arabia in Mecca recently (news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100213/wl_nm/us_saudi_rainfalls_mecca). I find that the irony of this flood in the desert of the oil sheiks begs description. As I look outside at today’s snowfall, which was supposed to go south of us, I am reminded of man’s imperfect abilities to prove or to predict anything. While correlation never proves causation, it never disproves it, either.
Funny, Mr. Norris you never mention the probability that global warming is NOT happening is just one chance out of 10. That’s not very good odds for “Russian Roulette” as I pointed out in a previous letter. Do you understand Russian Roulette, Mr. Norris? Do you think that Jack and Jill understand Russian Roulette? If they do maybe they can explain it to you.
— John Garner
Terre Haute
Partners needed to promote literacy
“No skill is more crucial to the future of a child, or to a democratic and prosperous society, than literacy.” This quote is from the Los Angeles Times, A Child Literacy Initiative for the Greater Los Angeles Area.
The purpose of this letter is to encourage educators, parents, grandparents, churches, libraries, community businesses and organizations to join with us in a literacy partnership.
The Wabash Valley Council of the Indiana State Reading Association has extended the membership drive for this year. At the ISRA Board meeting on Jan. 23, the state membership chair reported the state goal this year is 4,428 members. Presently we are at only 4,060 members. Our local council, the Wabash Valley Council, had 550 members last year and we have only 461 this year. Our council serves Clay, Greene, Knox, Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties.
Educator or not, we are asking you to become a Wabash Valley Council member. When you join the local council, you also become a member of the Indiana State Reading Association for just one fee. The annual dues are only $8 for educators and $6 for non-teachers. That money purchases books that are given to attendees at Family Learning Day and during the ISU Homecoming parade. In fact, 1,000 books were given at this year’s parade.
Dues also support these literacy programs: Children’s Library Resources at the Vigo County Public Library (available to the public to help children learn at home), Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, Family Learning Day, Student Showcase (formerly Literacy Fair) and the Literacy Celebration each spring.
Please join us and encourage everyone to learn to read and to develop a love of reading. To inquire about membership, contact any Vigo County school or contact one of the membership directors: Janella Knierim at (812) 462-4416 (jkk@vigoschools.org) or Karen Long at (812) 462-4418 (kta@vigoschools.org).
As a bonus for becoming a member, your name, business or organization will be recognized at our monthly meetings.
— Janella Knierim
— Karen Long
Membership co-directors
Terre Haute
Alumni game great community event
On Saturday, Jan. 30, the First Annual West Vigo High School Alumni Basketball Game took place. Over 50 former boys and girls basketball players, 30-plus cheerleaders, former basketball coaches Bob Burton, Jack Crombie and former athletic director Jim Mann all came back to participate in this wonderful day.
In this round-robin event of full-court basketball, the team of Jody Stafford and the Young Guns were able to capture the title during halftime of the junior varsity game later that night. Also during the day, Mr. Dane Norton captured the three-point contest championship.
After the game, there was a “Dinner with the Stars” (all the alumni) and silent auction. I would like to personally thank all of the parents for spending the day in the kitchen and running back and forth to make sure that part of the day went well. Thank you! Also, a big thank you to my coaches (Buske, Cardinal, Eads, Garman and Scott) and players for spending the day doing whatever was asked and helping make sure everyone that entered the door had a good time.
A thank you also goes to Kim LaComba and Michelle Blair for spearheading and coordinating the cheerleaders and their participation. Thank you to Mr. Gene Lowe and Ernie Walters for donating their time to referee the game and to Eddie Wiese with his help and suggestions for the big game. Last, but not least, thanks to Mrs. Betty Yokum for her endless dedication and help throughout the day.
What started out to be a fundraising event turned into a great community event. I’m sure there will be sore muscles and some aches and pains, but the stories and memories will last until next year … along with some of those aches and pains. Was it a long day? Yes, but was it worth it … no doubt about it! We look forward to the “Second Annual” next year.
— Ryan Easton
West Vigo High School
New beginning for alternative school
On Jan. 25, 2010, the Vigo County Board of School Trustees passed with a 7-0 vote to begin construction for the new Booker T. Washington High School building, which will be located on the South Vigo High School campus.
Students, staff, graduates, and families of Booker T. Washington High School are immensely grateful to these dedicated members of our community. The School Board historically has seen the vital role this school has played in our community. Through its vision, for over 30 years more than 1,200 pregnant, parenting, or alternative students have graduated and continue to live and thrive in our community today. They are better parents, workers, and citizens because of their experience at Booker T. Washington High School.
We also thank Superintendent Danny Tanoos and many others, who have worked countless hours to see that Booker T. Washington High School would have “A New Beginning,” as our school motto states. Our students will benefit from the expanded academic and other services in the modern facility and their children will thrive in the novel day care. It will be an exhilarating experience for us all.
Thank you, Vigo County Board of School Trustees and Superintendent Tanoos, as you continue to lead the way to our new building and “New Beginning.”
— Dr. Karen Andrews, principal
Booker T. Washington High School
Vigo County School Corp.
Rose-Hulman men emerge as ‘God’s angels’
I would like to express my sincere thanks to the young men from Rose-Hulman — Alex Kline, Joe Wright, Geoff Schellack, James Jeffreys, Greg Laudick, Clayton MacCrindle, Michael Ulrey and Steven Chase.
These young men are some of God’s angels that go unnoticed. A couple of weeks ago Alex made a phone call to Robin Heng who works for Visiting Nurse Association of the Wabash Valley and Hospice. They wanted to know if there was anyone who could use a wheelchair ramp. Robin put a page out asking if we knew who could use one. I grabbed my phone and prayed that I was the first one to call for it. God must have heard my prayer because she called me back and asked who needs it. This was on a Friday and with a few phone calls Saturday morning these men were there installing a ramp and they didn’t stop until it was finished.
After talking with Robin, I understand that these young men do things like this quite often for people. They go above and beyond at times. I am so thankful to them, and because of them a very sweet and loving lady who has become very dear to my heart can now go outside her home.
So often all we hear is the bad and not enough good. Well, there are still some good ones left and they attend Rose-Hulman. Guys, keep up the good deeds. God will bless you all.
— Starla Wright, H.H.A.
Visiting Nurse Association of the Wabash Valley and Hospice
Clinton
Interesting irony in accusations
Concerning the recent letter headlined “Obama just wants to become dictator”:
The writer accused Obama of being “a smug, self-centered, self-serving, egotistical, would-be dictator,” and claims he proves it by noting how often Obama uses the pronouns I, me, and my.
Does anyone besides me find it ironic that the writer himself, in a 403 word, 10-paragraph letter, used the same pronouns 18 times.
That sounds a bit smug, self-centered, self-serving and egotistical to me.
