Subject: WWII-L Digest - 24 Feb 1995 to 25 Feb 1995

From: Automatic digest processor <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 1995 00:03:09 -0500

There are 15 messages totalling 587 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Today in history (2)
  2. INF: 50 Years Ago - 26-FEB-1945
  3. Japanese atrocities--film FYI
  4. INF: USN Chronology 02-25-95
  5. Endlosung
  6. Unit 731
  7. INFO: Hitler and Votes
  8. V-E DAY
  9. MEDIA: Danes Set To Celebrate Liberation
 10. U.S.S. Evans DD552
 11. Is it true that they can trace a single document
 12. MEDIA:iwo Jima Today
 13. INF: 50 Years Ago - 27-FEB-1945
 14. Endlosung (was:Is it true that they can trace a single document)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 07:39:20 -0500
From:    James Vaughan <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Today in history

Mike
>       I made earlier repeated mention of some famous Japanese >atrocities
without quantifying them

I read recently ( I forget exactly where ) that the Japanese killed
( as retribution ) up to 250,000 Chinese in the province(s) where the
Doolittle fliers landed and were protected by the population. Any truth to
this ?

Jim Vaughan
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 09:20:31 EST
From:    John Davis <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: 50 Years Ago - 26-FEB-1945

On 26-FEB-1945, the following occurred -

World War II - The Battlefronts
-------------------------------
Western Front - In the Canadian 1st Army sector, the Canadian II Corps
begins a large offensive against the towns of Calcar, Udem and Xanten. As
the day ends the corps reaches an area south of Calcar and also comes very
close to Udem. In the U.S. 9th Army sector, elements of the XVI Corps are
moving on Huckelhoven while other units cross the Rur opposite Hilfarth.
The XIII Corps sends in the 102nd Division against Erkelenz, which is
captured. In the 1st Army sector, the VII Corps is advancing towards
Cologne. In the 3rd Army secotr, the VIII area is relatively calm. The XII
Corps offensive pushes forward aiming at a crossing of the Moselle at
Trier. In the XX Corps area, the 10th Armoured Division and 94th Division
join up their two bridgeheads at Ockfen and Serrig. Some elements of the
10th Armoured Division cross the Saar and move toward Irsch.

Eastern Front - The 1st and 2nd Ukraine Fronts begin an offensive against
the frontier of Czechoslovakia.

Philippines - The XIV Corps begins the assault on the last three
strongholds in Manila. Elements of the 6th Division reach the crest of Mt
Pacawagan but are forced back after nightfall by heavy fire. In the I Corps
area, elements of the 25th Division reach Carranglan. In the XI Corps area,
the 40th Division completes its immediate mission in the Zambales
Mountains. Rock Force concludes operations on Corregidor, except for
mopping up. In the south Philippines, the Americal Division completes the
encirclement of enemy forces in the northwest coastal sector of Leyte.

Iwo Jima - The VAC progress toward the O-2 line is literally measured
in hundreds of yards as the Japanese resistance continues to be very
strong. The 3rd Marine Division is inching forward in the center, while the
4th Marine Division continues to attack on the right flank. The 5th
Division pushes north on the left flank. Observation planes land on
Airfield 1 and start spotting for artillery.

The Homefront
-------------
Arnold Warns The U.S. - Gen. H.H. Arnold, Army Air Forces commanding
general, in a report warns that the U.S. will be the first target of the
next war and that air power will be the main weapon.

Curfew Effective - The nation-wide midnight curfew has gone into effect. In
New York city, the police are instructed to take the names and addresses of
all people found in places violating the curfew. General obediance is
reported throughout the country.

68 Returned Nurses Praised - 68 members of the U.S. Army Nurse Crops
recovering in Letterman General Hospital, San Francisco, and rescued from
the Santo Tomas internment camp on Luzon after almost three years'
imprisonment have received latters from President Roosevelt expressing the
nation's thanks for their "service in combat" and "devotion to duty."

=============================================================================

Sources: "United States Army in World War II, Chronology 1941-1945" compiled
by Mary H. Williams, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of
the Army, "2194 Days of War" by Cesare Salmaggi and Alfredo Pallavisimi,
"Facts On File Yearbook 1945, Person's Index Of World Events" edited by R.L.
Lapica.

Copyright 1995 by John B Davis, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Previous articles are archived at ftp.webcom.com in directory /pub/jbd/www
and can be accessed via the WWW by URL: http://www.webcom.com/~jbd/ww2.html.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Davis                           | [email-masked]
Cary, North Carolina                 | http://www.webcom.com/~jbd/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 09:51:18 -0600
From:    "Robert J. Granvin" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Today in history

In message <[email-masked]> World War II Discussion
List writes:
> Mike
> >       I made earlier repeated mention of some famous Japanese >atrocities
> without quantifying them
>
> I read recently ( I forget exactly where ) that the Japanese killed
> ( as retribution ) up to 250,000 Chinese in the province(s) where the
> Doolittle fliers landed and were protected by the population. Any truth to
> this ?

This is referenced many times, though some put the losses as just part of
the Japanese attack against China.

In 1991, many of the surviving Doolittle Raiders were reunited in Red Wing
Minnesota with many of the people who helped rescue them.  This was the first
time they had been reunited since 1941.  In any case, the retribution numbers
were repeated by both the crew members and the Chinese rescuers (note that
most of the Chinese had ever been out of China before and some had barely
ever been out of their village before...)

--
Robert J. Granvin
Southern Minnesota Wing Confederate Air Force

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 10:46:58 -0500
From:    Cheryl Abdullah <[email-masked]>
Subject: Japanese atrocities--film FYI

For those people interested in Japanese atrocities in China, I am
enclosing information about a Japanese film available in America from
either Janus Films or Sony Video Software:

TITLE:  Ningen no joken  (English: _The Human Condition_)
YEAR:   1958 (1988 video release)
FORMAT: 3 videocassettes (570 min.) : sd., b&w, 1/2 in.
SERIES: Japan film collection
NOTES:  Japanese with English subtitles.  "A release of SVS Films"--Outer
        container.  Based on the novel by Junpei Gomikawa.  Originally
        produced as motion pictures, 1958-1961. VHS.
        Part I   - No greater love
        Part II  - Road to eternity
        Part III - A soldier's prayer
        Screenplay, Zenzo Matsuyama, Masaki Kobayashi, Koichi Inagaki;
        photography, Yoshio Miyajima; music, Chuji Kinoshita.
        Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama.
        The chronicle of one man's struggle to remain human amidst the
        distorted reality of war.
SUBJECT: Feature films. Foreign films. World War, 1939-1945 -- China.
         World War, 1939-1945 -- Japan.
-----------------------
I saw the first part of this riveting motion picture in 1982 while living
in Detroit.  Thanks to the discussion on this list, I asked our local
library to please order it.  If any of you do the same (or, order it and
donate it to your local library), I think you will appreciate this film.

Best wishes,

Cheryl                                    [email-masked]

PS--I haven't seen the Narciso summary, I posted it last week. ??? Private
responses if you have/haven't seen it yet please.  Thank you!

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 04:00:12 PST
From:    "Keller, Theron P." <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: USN Chronology 02-25-95

UNITED STATES NAVY CHRONOLOGY
from:
//byrd.mu.wvnet.edu/pub/history/military/wwii/naval_chronology/chr4(4,5).txt

1945
02/25 Sun. Aircraft from fast carrier task force (Vice Adm. M. A.
           Mitscher) bomb aircraft factories and airfields near
           Tokyo, Japan.
            United States naval vessels damaged:
             Destroyer HARRISON (DD-573), by storm,
              south of Honshu, Japan,
              33 d. 00'N., 141 d. 00'E.
             Attack transport FAYETTE (APA-43), by collision,
              Iwo Jima area,
              24 d. 45'N., 141 d. 20'E.
             Attack cargo ship MULIPHEN (AKA-61), by collision,
              Iwo Jima area,
              24 d. 46'N., 141 d. 19'E.
             Seaplane tender HAMLIN (AV-15), accidentally by United
              States naval gunfire, Iwo Jima area,
              24 d. 46'N., 141 d. 19'E.
             Motor minesweeper YMS-175, by mine,
              Caroline Island area,
              07 d. 20'N., 134 d. 35'E.
             LST 918, by collision, Iwo Jima area,
              24 d. 46'N., 141 d. 19'E.

Information compiled by U.S. Navy Historians.  For more information,
contact the Naval Historical Center at (202) 433-3940.
Archived by: "Larry W. Jewell" <[email-masked]>
Posted by:
Theron P. Keller
Logicon, Inc.
Dahlgren, VA  22448 USA
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 13:44:16 -0500
From:    David Rising <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Endlosung

On Fri, 24 Feb 1995, Henry Sirotin wrote:

> Dear David,
>
> You've done a good job elucidating the "functionalist" school, but two
> things bother me about it: first, the Germans took control of their first
> large numbers of non-German Jews, about 350,000 in Czechoslovakia, in
> March 1939.

Actually, the Anschluss of Austria provided about 200,000 (or more I
can't remember the exact figures) which was a greater number than had
emigrated from Germany in the first place.

 Extermination became the option within eighteen-twenty months.
> This is hardly "very late."

Well, it is _very_ late if you believe that extermination was a part of
the Nazi program since the early 20's or even once they took power in '33.

 Second, the Germans knew they would be taking
> control of very large numbers of Jews the minute they planned to occupy
> Poland, and they had to know the war situation would make emigration
> impossible, at least while the war lasted. They expected the war against
> Russia to last three months. So in March 1941, if the "emigration"
> hypothesis is valid, the Germans could have expected to be ready to
> exile the European Jewish population by, say, November 1941. It could
> even have been made a part of a German-Soviet peace treaty after a German
> victory- send all of Europe's Jews to the Soviet Far East, where an
> ostensibly "Jewish" Soviet republic already existed. But in March, 1941,
> it is clear the extermination program was already planned, as witness
> the Einsatzgruppen.

Yup, I don't disagree. Only method of extermination was being debated at
this point between those in power. Significant, however, is the fact that
many who weren't privy to this information were still working on a plan
to relocate the Jews to Madagascar.

>
> If the extermination program had begun in 1942, after the East Front
> began to turn sour, or even later, I would say the functionalists had
> a strong case. As it is- with extermination fully programmed *at a time
> when the Germans expected the war to be all but over in a matter of months*-
> I don't believe they have a case at all. The Einsatzgruppen were not a
> response to conditions- they were the first step in creating the New Europe
> the Nazis fully expected to be able to begin to realize without serious
> external threat by the end of 1941.

Well, as I said before, this is a matter of some debate and unless
something remarkably elucidating appears from the Soviet archives, I
imagine it will always be so. I'd be glad to ship you
a more thorough study of the matter that I did though (if I can figure
out how to get it from MS-word to here :-).

Regards,
David Rising

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 13:33:38 -0600
From:    Chip Merton <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Unit 731

>Hello, Chip!
>
>What is the publication info on this book? I would be most interested
>in acquiring a copy of it. Please advise.
>
>Terry

Unit 731: Japan's Secret Biological Warfare in World War II by Peter
Williams and David Wallace. Published 1989 by The Free Press a division of
Macmillan, inc. New York.
ISBN 0-02-935301-7   Dewey Number 940.54'13'52 (librarians know what the '
mean:-)

Hope this helps
Thanks

--Chip
Chip Merton
IN%"[email-masked]"

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 15:40:08 -0800
From:    Sidney Allinson <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: INFO: Hitler and Votes

For one insight...
        "Hitler  so thoroughly fostered the [1931] German obsession with
the desire to obey that one could often hear gatherings of students at
berlin University shouting -- 'Wir scheissen auf die Frieheit!"
        ("We spit upon freedom!")

--

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 16:08:19 -0800
From:    Sidney Allinson <[email-masked]>
Subject: V-E DAY

Today, I received a gift from a friend in England:
        "The Official VE/VJ 50th Anniversary Tie".
It is a necktie patterened in quiet stipes of dark maroon and dark blue,
with a stylized Union Jack headed by the words,
                "The Nation Gives Thanks - V-E Day / V-J Day"
        Across the maroon stripes, the dates are repeated, 1945-1995.

--

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 16:22:40 -0800
From:    Sidney Allinson <[email-masked]>
Subject: MEDIA: Danes Set To Celebrate Liberation

Victoria Times Colonist, Victoria, B.C. Feb 25, 1995 --

        "On the morning of April 9, 1940, Danes woke up to find their
country had been occupied by Nazi Germany.  Liberation came a little
more than five years later, on May 5, 1945.
        Denmark is now gearing up for the 50th anniversary of its
liberation at the end of the Second World War, with officials promising
a once-in-a-lifetime event on May 4 to mark
the anniversary. For two hours that night, an unbroken line of laser light
known as "Peace Sculpture 1995" will be seen all the way along the coast to
Jutland.
        Other events marking the aniversary include a visit by Queen
Margarethe to Ryvangen memorial Park, dedicated to Danish civilians who
were killed during the German occupation."

--

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 20:01:00 EST
From:    "Roger D. Corrie" <[email-masked]>
Subject: U.S.S. Evans DD552

Hi I am new to this list and currently trying to build a memorial WWW home
page to my fathers ship the USS Evans DD552.  I am looking for any
information on his ship and especially any write ups about her operations
off Okinawa 10-11 May 1945.  Also any information on the special operations
she was involved in near Yap 1 - 13 Jan 1945.  I plan on putting all the
information I recieve on line, Newspaper, Magazine articles and a biblograph
of any book that contains information on the Evans.  If there are any Evan
shipmates who read this list my fathers name was Charles L. Corrie Jr, from
Baltimore MD. at that time, later from Charleston S.C.

Thanks in advance for any help
CPORog   (Roger D. Corrie)            CAG, DEVIL 1,  UP and UP she is a
Email    [email-masked]              shooter!
Phone    804-427-2200

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 20:44:41 -0600
From:    Kelvin Brent Luther <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Is it true that they can trace a single document

On Fri, 24 Feb 1995, William Lippert wrote:

> On Thu, 23 Feb 1995 14:06:39 -0500 Henry Sirotin said:
> >Planning for the mass extermination of Jews began in the winter of 1940-41,
> >implemented by the March 1941 decision to include four special purpose
> >Einsatzgruppen in Barbarossa. These four commandos, whose only mission
> >was exterminating Jews, killed perhaps 1,250,000 by the end of October.
> >
> >Henry Sirotin
>
>    I have read that the Einsatzgruppen had the responsibility not of killing
> Jews, but removing all elements of the occupied territories that posed a
> threat to the Reich.  These included intellectuals, local political figures,
> religious persons, etc.  The Jews, of course, were included in the people
> to be liquidated.
>
> William Lippert
> The American University
>
        The term Jew was used to describe anyone who didn't fit Nazi
dogma. In the mid 30's there was a showing of "degenerate art" that was
seen by millions of Germans throughout the Reich. The term degenerate was
also interchangeable with Jew for any unnacceptable person. Of the dozens
of painters and there works there were something like only seven articles
produced by Jewish painters yet it all received the lable Jewish and
degenerate.  This shows not only the all encompassing vision the Nazis
had with regards to what they considered Jewish, but also shows the
success they had involving the public with their views.  I cannot
remember exactly but I'm am sure that the art exibit was and may still be
the most widely seen exibit in Germany.  I recall that when I heard this
it was simply described as the most widely viewed exibit in history.  I
am assuming they meant in Germany or perhaps the most widely seen up to
that time.  The alternative would be shocking indeed.
                                Kelvin Luther

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 21:58:56 EST
From:    Charles Mattocks <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: MEDIA:iwo Jima Today

Sorry to post this to the Group:

Mr. Irwin, forgive me I can't remember your first name, but could you privately
e-mail me your post on Iwo Jima Today?  I had a glitch here and lost that file.

I enjoyed reading it and would like to add it to my collection.

Thanks again,

Chip
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 21:57:51 EST
From:    John Davis <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: 50 Years Ago - 27-FEB-1945

On 27-FEB-1945, the following occurred -

World War II - The Battlefronts
-------------------------------
Western Front - Operation Blockbuster continues in the Canadian 1st Army
sector. The British 43rd Division by-passes Calcar. The Canadian 4th
Armoured Division penetrates into the Hochwald forest east of Udem. The
Canadian 3rd Division reaches Udem. In the U.S. 9th Army sector, the 35th
Division advances swiftly east of the Rur, meeting little opposition. The
8th Armoured Division crosses the Rur opposite Hilfarth. The 2nd Armoured
Division regroups on the east bank of the Rur. In the U.S. 1st Army sector,
the VII Corps continues to advance in the area of Cologne against heavy
resistance. The 3rd Armoured Division establishes a bridgehead over the
Erft. Elements of the 9th Division cross the Rur and regroup near Rath. In
the 3rd Army sector, the 6th Armoured Division establishes a bridgehead
over the Prum. The 87th Division advances toward Ormont and Hallschlag
meeting some resistance. The XII Corps also crosses the Prum. The 76th
Division advances from the Walfsfeld bridgehead southwest toward Trier.

Eastern Front - There is a reduced amount of activity in all sectors.

Philippines - In the XIV Corps area, the 37th Division clears stubborn
resistance from most of the Legislative building in Manila. Elements of the
6th Division holds Mt Pacawagan against heavy opposition. In the I Corps
area, the 25th Division capures the plan for the defence of Balete Pass.

Iwo Jima - The VAC continues to attack toward the O-2 line after an intense
preparatory fire. Using bulldozers, flamethrowers and hollow-charge
ammunition the Marines eliminate the pill-boxes and gun emplacements one
after another. In the center, elements of the 3rd Marine Division
penetrates Japanese positions to secure the rest of Airfield 2 and the
heights beyond. The 5th Marine Division advances slowly but steadily north
on the left flank of the corps. The first detachment of PBM search plans
arrives at the seaplane base. A storm causes damage to a number of ships in
the waters off of Iwo Jima, including the light carrier San Jacinto.

Burma - The Japanese opposition to the Indian 20th Division subsides and
the Irrawaddy bridgehead is firmly established.

The Homefront
-------------
Minimum Wages Raised - The National War Labor Board has authorized a raise
of the minimum wage to .55 an hour. The previous minimum wage was .50 an
hour.

Detroit Strike - Employees striking at Chrysler's Dodge plant in Detroit
have voted against returning to work. The strikers, who walked out on Feb.
23rd after eight men were fired for "loafing", number about 13,500.

January Strike Totals - The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that during
January, 240 strikes took place involving 44,000 workers and 228,000
man-days of idleness.

No Communist Officers - Maj. Gen. Clayton Bissell, in charge of Army
Intelligence, has testified before a House Military Affairs committee that
he knows of no Communists that have been given commissions in the Army.

=============================================================================

Sources: "United States Army in World War II, Chronology 1941-1945" compiled
by Mary H. Williams, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of
the Army, "2194 Days of War" by Cesare Salmaggi and Alfredo Pallavisimi,
"Facts On File Yearbook 1945, Person's Index Of World Events" edited by R.L.
Lapica.

Copyright 1995 by John B Davis, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Previous articles are archived at ftp.webcom.com in directory /pub/jbd/www
and can be accessed via the WWW by URL: http://www.webcom.com/~jbd/ww2.html.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Davis                           | [email-masked]
Cary, North Carolina                 | http://www.webcom.com/~jbd/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 25 Feb 1995 21:30:24 -0600
From:    Kelvin Brent Luther <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Endlosung (was:Is it true that they can trace a single document)

On Fri, 24 Feb 1995, David Rising wrote:

> On Thu, 23 Feb 1995, Henry Sirotin wrote:
>
> -deletions-
>
> > What changed was the fact that Germany's position after the fall of
> > France was considered impregnable in Europe, and the real agenda could
> > now be applied.
>
> There are really two scholarly positions on this question. The above is
> the "Intentionalist" approach, which is well voiced by Lucy Dawidowicz
> in a number of different books.
>
> The other approach is the "functionalist" approach, which basically says
> that the Nazi policy towards the Jews was a function of circumstance
> rather than a well thought out plan from the beginning. Christopher
> Browning and Michael Marrus are two well known Holocaust-historians who
> subscribe to this theory.
>
> In "functionalist" thinking, the Nazis were trying to make Germany and
> her occupied countries Jewish free. Before the invasion of the S.U., they
> were quite willing to solve their "problem" by simply letting the people
> emigrate. Once the Soviet Union, and the other half of Poland, was
> invaded, they found themselves with a larger Jewish population than ever
> (actually, even the Anschluss of Austria encorporated more Jews than had
> ever left, but there was still somewhere to send them). The
> Einsatzgruppen and the Death Camps were, then, a pragmatic solution to
> their new found "problem".
>
> In the "functionalist" thinking then, there was not a "real agenda" to
> be followed once they had become "unbeatable", but rather a new agenda
> to follow in response to a new situation.
>
> This is, of course, not to say that the Nazis didn't actively pursue a
> racist policy designed to rid Germany and her territories of Jews. It
> does, however, suggest that "rid" meant emigrate until very late when it
> became "exterminate."
>
> Hope this helps,
> David Rising
>
        From what I have read of the "Final Solution" the gassing of the
Jews in camps was a solution to the inability of the Germans to massacre
the Jews in large enough numbers using bullets or the mobile trucks of
the einsatzgruppen.  The biggest problem with the einsatzgruppen was the
fact that the mass graves required to dispose of the bodies were too
conspicuous.  Later on many of these graves were dug up in order to
dispose of the evidence in a more efficient manner.  As well using
bullets was simply too much of a drain on the war effort.  Although there
may be evidence that at one time they considered deporting the Jews it
was only fleeting and was never pursued by Hitler.  Apparently Himmler
had conceived of the Madagascar idea while considering the problem for
the Fuhrer and once discussion began it was dismissed out of hand
although Himmler may have held on to the possibility in order to keep the
option open.  He undoubtably did this out of the same simple German
efficiency for planning that led to the camps, not out of any tiny
feeling of guilt or compassion.  The simple fact the holocaust wasn't
spelled out on paper earlier doesn't mean it was not the ultimate
objective with regards to the Jews.  The systematic pursecution the Nazis
inflicted leads me to believe that it was.  Gradually the Jews were
turned into non-citizens and eventually were classified as no more than
cattle by the Nazis.  I think we can see with hindsight that they
systematically created the holocaust from the first moves they made
against the Jews after taking power.

Kelvin Luther

------------------------------

End of WWII-L Digest - 24 Feb 1995 to 25 Feb 1995
*************************************************