10.1.2022
In September of 1939, Hitler began his blitzkrieg in Poland. Three million, three hundred thousand Jews were there. It was the beginning of World War II. It was at this time FDR lifted the embargo of selling arms to countries being attacked by "belligerents". But it took six more weeks for Congress to agree, and only if the buyers paid cash.
Charles Lindbergh, celebrated aviator, is someone we grew up learning about in school. He in actuality cared only about the white race, and made nice with Germany. President Roosevelt was to say "I actually believe Lindbergh is a Nazi".
Within five weeks, German forces had murdered 45,000 Polish souls. That was in western Poland. Russia then invaded the eastern portion of Poland, forced many of them to be part of their Red Army, and shipped thousands to Siberia. Tens of thousands of Poles died, either of starvation or freezing to death. It was only the beginning. Also, about 22,000 officers and scholars were murdered. An attempt to segregate Jews in Poland, neighborhoods that were run down to a point of being considered a ghetto were fenced off and Jews were corralled to be only there. They were pillaged of everything they had, and forced to wear Star of David arm bands or yellow stars for readily available identification.The Warsaw Ghetto was about two square miles, and about 400,000 Jews were forced to survive best they could. Over 80,000 died there by either being shot by guards, typhoid fever, or starving to death. The American counterparts to so many struggled to get their European family over here. There in lay the great guilt by so many. Survivor's Guilt.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Hero. She worked side by side with her husband, both compassionate, but she was less tied to the will of the people. Had a heart the size of Texas. Also, academic & politician Hiram Bingham, Jr. He went to France, and with the help of an American Journalist Varian Fry and so many regular ol' folk, rescued between 2,000 and 4,000 individuals from the Nazis.
Enough for today. My heart breaks a little more every day. To be continued tomorrow.
Thank you for stopping in.
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