I’ve written often that 1944 was “the high tide of the American republic,” that it was “the year America liberated the world.” And yet here we are 80 years from those momentous days, wondering if 2024 will be “the end of the American republic.”
Wow! I so look forward to your providing a great way to look back at 1944! As you may know, the people of Dresden will remember the fire bombing of their incredible city the night of 13 February into 14 February. They will do what they do most years...gather by the thousands hand in hand to encircle the Frauenkirche that was almost completely destroyed. In fact the russians left it and most of the bomb destruction as it was in the former east Germany. The russians stole everything they could and never rebuilt the ruins...just put up their famous concrete apartment blocks, built detention facilities, and encouraged everyone to spy on their own family members and neighbors for the STASI. (Watch the film The Lives of Others as it is quite accurate). It was not until the wall was finally breached and broken that there was rebuilding of all the destruction from WW2! Guess how it was done? The Germans agreed to tax themselves for the purpose of reconstructing. They called it a "solidarity tax". It was only fairly recently ended. It takes unity to do great things that make the world a better place for everyone. So...thank you Tom for giving us all one more way to remember what is truly most important.❤️
I've never been able to figure out this American (and, let's face it, it's historically been an old-time Republican thing about taxes). if a country needs more money to better take care of its citizens, that country raises taxes. the tax burden here is significantly lower than in most other large, developed countries.
for something like universal high-quality health insurance, I'd happily shell out another thousand bucks a year (my income is ridiculously low).
Unfortunately there are political parties everywhere that have a libertarian viewpoint. In other words they are bent, and they push the belief that you ( singular or the out group) only get what you can pay for. It is a dead end financial policy. I think the Chicago School / Friedman had a lot to do with this theory. Remember "trickle down" ? Same thing. Write the financial policies to benefit the top believing falsely those at the top create wealth. They have a party in Germany called the Free Democrats and they are a free market first, do not take on debt, no new taxes, etc party. They are making life difficult for the coalition they are part of. The gop believes cutting taxes at the top is the way to benefit the "job creators" AND especially shrink government. You have to ask who benefits from "smaller" government? Grover Norquist and the ALEC organization, both of whom got their start during Reagan's tenure still plague the body politic with all kinds of nefarious right wing "model legislation" and the mantra of no taxes or regulations. Most gop legislators belong to these organizations. That is one reason we've had some of the worst legislation get through locally as well as nationally in recent years. Privatize everything you can in government because "that will save money". Of course that is a crock. And the worst part is the citizen can no longer follow the money easily. Anyway...we're not going to get any policy from the gop that begins with the idea of building from the bottom up and the middle out. That's only a plan from democrats.
In 2018, in the midst of the daily psychic assault of living through the first-and-God-help-us-may-it-be-the-last Trump administration, my husband and I took a trip to France and visited the American Cemetery and beaches at Normandy. It was an incredibly reverent experience, and a visceral reminder of the greatness we're capable of as a nation. So yours is a worthy project!
It was awkward and embarrassing to be a traveler in Europe during those 4 t ad-minus years. So difficult to explain how many of us here despised the melting orange jello.
However, 1944 is now ‘another world’ although connected historically; and perhaps the echo will awaken even spark some sleeping brains to wake up wake up before it’s too late.
We have been to that Cemetery a number of times and it always brings me to tears to see for my own eyes, what sacrifices (literally) young men, abd their families, made to free Europe of the Fascist scourge.
It's such a powerful experience, and one I wish all Americans could access. Seeing those lovingly tended graves — right above the beaches where all those boys died — is unforgettable.
I'm currently reading The Kennedys, by Collier and Horowitz. There's a moderate amount from WWII most notably perhaps an account of PT109 although not the most in depth I've seen on that. And a fair amount on Old Joe's efforts to keep the US out of the war, and some mentions of Lindbergh on that score.
My fourth grade teacher's mother was Lindbergh's wife's sister. I'd read a book about Lindbergh on my own when I was in her class, having had no idea about her relation to him. The class was small, 12 kids, and she was a very good, very attentive teacher, and I always thought, as an adult, that she'd never remarked on her relationship to Lindbergh for all of what I'd consider the right reasons a teacher might not mention a famous family member to her students. It's only at this very late date that I realize that she probably was embarrassed about what her uncle's political views had been, and I'm guessing that her immediate family was not at all close to the Lindberghs.
Joe Kennedy was only slightly less a traitor back then than Preston Bush was. Kennedy at least had the decency to sell off his German investments, unlike Bush.
In 1928 he started financing the Nazis. Was "repaid" after 1933 with opportunities to get "good investments" there. In the runup to our involvement in the war, after 1940 he refused to sell off his investments. After 1942, he was under threat of being indicted under the Trading With The Enemy Act, which he evaded in 1944 by purchasing a seat in the Senate.
David, “The Kennedy Men” was also very revealing as to the character of those individuals. Jack, the reluctant (playboy, college neer do well) second choice to brother Joe as Joe senior’s quest for dynasty. Daddy Joe’s philandering in full view of wife Rose, Teddy’s impossible chore of “measuring up”. Only Bobby held any concept of ethical compliance. An American tragedy sold as Camelot
Hmmm. Bobby was the one who worked for Joseph McCarthy early in the former's career. He did make up for that in the '60s. And having read two bios of Jack, I never got the impression he was a college ne'er do well--quite the contrary. Daddy Joe certainly did little to hide his philandering.
I am badly in need of some historical optimism! Thank you for this opportunity to understand what my parents lived through (especially my dad) and made it through with hopeful spirits!
Looking forward to your forthcoming missives on this topic. I was born in March of 1944 so I soon will be 80! Never thought I would get there. Thankfully my mind is much younger than my age - sort of like President Biden’s! Bring it on TC!
As distorted as this sounds, your historical stories of wars past are a refreshing break for me from the current stories of future wars running around and bumping into things in my head.
As a retired history teacher and son of two British RAF/ Army parents (mum communicated with bombers, dad - tanks and intelligence) I look forward to reading this.
🙏. Looking forward to this series. I had two great uncles in uniform and fighting in 1944. One bomber pilot in Europe and his brother serving in the Pacific fleet Navy.
I almost wish I wasn't already a paid subscriber ... so that I could become one again!! Your unbelievable knowledge and ability to articulate is amazing!! I absolutely love you! Thank you for what you do!! xx's
Looking forward to it..... Apropos of Masters of the Air, yes, there are all sorts of "Hollywoodisms" in it, but I am still enjoying what I like about the series - at the least the telling of the story that so many do not have any idea happened as it did. The CGI is differing in quality - not surprising as they used a good dozen houses to do all of it. I find that on second viewing some of the CGI that underwhelmed me at first turns out to be better than I thought. The lack of any B-17Gs in later episodes (because Apple was too cheap to extend the original budget and didn't care) will be a sticking point to the cognoscenti but the average viewer won't know. I hate that kind of stupid stuff, because there is a LOT of technical detail they did get right and reproduce. It is what it is.....`
Wow! I so look forward to your providing a great way to look back at 1944! As you may know, the people of Dresden will remember the fire bombing of their incredible city the night of 13 February into 14 February. They will do what they do most years...gather by the thousands hand in hand to encircle the Frauenkirche that was almost completely destroyed. In fact the russians left it and most of the bomb destruction as it was in the former east Germany. The russians stole everything they could and never rebuilt the ruins...just put up their famous concrete apartment blocks, built detention facilities, and encouraged everyone to spy on their own family members and neighbors for the STASI. (Watch the film The Lives of Others as it is quite accurate). It was not until the wall was finally breached and broken that there was rebuilding of all the destruction from WW2! Guess how it was done? The Germans agreed to tax themselves for the purpose of reconstructing. They called it a "solidarity tax". It was only fairly recently ended. It takes unity to do great things that make the world a better place for everyone. So...thank you Tom for giving us all one more way to remember what is truly most important.❤️
I've never been able to figure out this American (and, let's face it, it's historically been an old-time Republican thing about taxes). if a country needs more money to better take care of its citizens, that country raises taxes. the tax burden here is significantly lower than in most other large, developed countries.
for something like universal high-quality health insurance, I'd happily shell out another thousand bucks a year (my income is ridiculously low).
Unfortunately there are political parties everywhere that have a libertarian viewpoint. In other words they are bent, and they push the belief that you ( singular or the out group) only get what you can pay for. It is a dead end financial policy. I think the Chicago School / Friedman had a lot to do with this theory. Remember "trickle down" ? Same thing. Write the financial policies to benefit the top believing falsely those at the top create wealth. They have a party in Germany called the Free Democrats and they are a free market first, do not take on debt, no new taxes, etc party. They are making life difficult for the coalition they are part of. The gop believes cutting taxes at the top is the way to benefit the "job creators" AND especially shrink government. You have to ask who benefits from "smaller" government? Grover Norquist and the ALEC organization, both of whom got their start during Reagan's tenure still plague the body politic with all kinds of nefarious right wing "model legislation" and the mantra of no taxes or regulations. Most gop legislators belong to these organizations. That is one reason we've had some of the worst legislation get through locally as well as nationally in recent years. Privatize everything you can in government because "that will save money". Of course that is a crock. And the worst part is the citizen can no longer follow the money easily. Anyway...we're not going to get any policy from the gop that begins with the idea of building from the bottom up and the middle out. That's only a plan from democrats.
In 2018, in the midst of the daily psychic assault of living through the first-and-God-help-us-may-it-be-the-last Trump administration, my husband and I took a trip to France and visited the American Cemetery and beaches at Normandy. It was an incredibly reverent experience, and a visceral reminder of the greatness we're capable of as a nation. So yours is a worthy project!
It was awkward and embarrassing to be a traveler in Europe during those 4 t ad-minus years. So difficult to explain how many of us here despised the melting orange jello.
However, 1944 is now ‘another world’ although connected historically; and perhaps the echo will awaken even spark some sleeping brains to wake up wake up before it’s too late.
Thank you TC as always.
We have been to that Cemetery a number of times and it always brings me to tears to see for my own eyes, what sacrifices (literally) young men, abd their families, made to free Europe of the Fascist scourge.
It's such a powerful experience, and one I wish all Americans could access. Seeing those lovingly tended graves — right above the beaches where all those boys died — is unforgettable.
I'm currently reading The Kennedys, by Collier and Horowitz. There's a moderate amount from WWII most notably perhaps an account of PT109 although not the most in depth I've seen on that. And a fair amount on Old Joe's efforts to keep the US out of the war, and some mentions of Lindbergh on that score.
My fourth grade teacher's mother was Lindbergh's wife's sister. I'd read a book about Lindbergh on my own when I was in her class, having had no idea about her relation to him. The class was small, 12 kids, and she was a very good, very attentive teacher, and I always thought, as an adult, that she'd never remarked on her relationship to Lindbergh for all of what I'd consider the right reasons a teacher might not mention a famous family member to her students. It's only at this very late date that I realize that she probably was embarrassed about what her uncle's political views had been, and I'm guessing that her immediate family was not at all close to the Lindberghs.
Joe Kennedy was only slightly less a traitor back then than Preston Bush was. Kennedy at least had the decency to sell off his German investments, unlike Bush.
I'm not familiar with what Preston Bush was doing.
In 1928 he started financing the Nazis. Was "repaid" after 1933 with opportunities to get "good investments" there. In the runup to our involvement in the war, after 1940 he refused to sell off his investments. After 1942, he was under threat of being indicted under the Trading With The Enemy Act, which he evaded in 1944 by purchasing a seat in the Senate.
What a sh!t! Thanks for the education!
It's why son G.H.W. Bush left Yale in his freshman year and became the youngest Naval Aviator of the war, to make up for dear old dad.
Interesting! And a reasonable thing to do, unlike what his son did.
David, “The Kennedy Men” was also very revealing as to the character of those individuals. Jack, the reluctant (playboy, college neer do well) second choice to brother Joe as Joe senior’s quest for dynasty. Daddy Joe’s philandering in full view of wife Rose, Teddy’s impossible chore of “measuring up”. Only Bobby held any concept of ethical compliance. An American tragedy sold as Camelot
Hmmm. Bobby was the one who worked for Joseph McCarthy early in the former's career. He did make up for that in the '60s. And having read two bios of Jack, I never got the impression he was a college ne'er do well--quite the contrary. Daddy Joe certainly did little to hide his philandering.
https://www.amazon.com/Kennedy-Men-1901-1963-Laurence-Leamer/dp/0688163157/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=10OQ61EK1SICT&keywords=the+kennedy+men&qid=1707860016&sprefix=the+kennedy+men%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1#immersive-view_1707860212942
Thanks for that!
I am badly in need of some historical optimism! Thank you for this opportunity to understand what my parents lived through (especially my dad) and made it through with hopeful spirits!
Looking forward to your forthcoming missives on this topic. I was born in March of 1944 so I soon will be 80! Never thought I would get there. Thankfully my mind is much younger than my age - sort of like President Biden’s! Bring it on TC!
Mine too.
Definitely yours too!
Thanks Tom. I think we all need a little refocusing on positive things as the current state is quite a mess. Looking forward to reading your insights.
As distorted as this sounds, your historical stories of wars past are a refreshing break for me from the current stories of future wars running around and bumping into things in my head.
What a great and timely gift. Thank you, and I look forward to reading it.
As a retired history teacher and son of two British RAF/ Army parents (mum communicated with bombers, dad - tanks and intelligence) I look forward to reading this.
Tony, from one Brit to another - is that a Lagotto Romagnolo?
I had to look that up. No, she’s a Havanese/poodle mix- a Havapoo. We’re in Brooklyn NY. Left London as a kid.
She’s utterly adorable.
Ha. Kinda looked like a Lagotto. Living in LA with 3 of them!
No kidding. Right now I’m about 60 miles north of you visiting family.
Great idea TC. Looking forward to it, although it won't be as cute as the cats.
Looking forward to this, Tom.
None could do it better than you.
Hey! Hey!
Suozzi is our new Democratic Rep in NY3! Yee haw! 📣
🙏. Looking forward to this series. I had two great uncles in uniform and fighting in 1944. One bomber pilot in Europe and his brother serving in the Pacific fleet Navy.
We'll be covering both.
TC, thank you for doing this—cannot wait.
This sounds great! Looking forward to it. Thanks.
I almost wish I wasn't already a paid subscriber ... so that I could become one again!! Your unbelievable knowledge and ability to articulate is amazing!! I absolutely love you! Thank you for what you do!! xx's
Looking forward to it..... Apropos of Masters of the Air, yes, there are all sorts of "Hollywoodisms" in it, but I am still enjoying what I like about the series - at the least the telling of the story that so many do not have any idea happened as it did. The CGI is differing in quality - not surprising as they used a good dozen houses to do all of it. I find that on second viewing some of the CGI that underwhelmed me at first turns out to be better than I thought. The lack of any B-17Gs in later episodes (because Apple was too cheap to extend the original budget and didn't care) will be a sticking point to the cognoscenti but the average viewer won't know. I hate that kind of stupid stuff, because there is a LOT of technical detail they did get right and reproduce. It is what it is.....`
All that air sickness, for instance. It was a real thing.