jazzeum
Four Star General
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2005
- Messages
- 38,435
Andy has asked me to post the following.
*******
To The Forum
Subject: “About the LAH”
Dear Forum,
I have thought long and hard about the recent posts on the L.A.H. and here is my response.
We produce L.A.H. for the pure and simple reason that it is part of history and we are a company that designs and produces historical military miniatures.
That said, there are other more complex reasons. The Second World War was one of the pivotal events of the Twentieth, or indeed any other century, in the history of mankind. It’s effects and ramifications are still felt to this day.
Being brought up in the nineteen fifties I had a very “comic book” view of “The War” and the reasons for it. “The Germans were bad… The British were good… and the Americans were late as usual!”
Of course as I grew older and learnt more I realized how distorted and naïve my original understanding was.
One particular question kept returning to haunt me, “How did a desperate bunch of gangsters led by an anti-social misfit (with an unfortunate resemblance to Charlie Chaplin) take over one of the most sophisticated and civilized countries in the World?”
Of course I knew “why” he did it but it was the “how” that continues to fascinate me even to this day.
I know I’m not alone in this interest because a continuing steady stream of books, documentaries, films are constantly emerging to cover the relatively short 12 year span of “The Thousand Year Reich”.
A very small part of this “steady stream” is our L.A.H. series. The Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler was not just a band of mindless things – they were originally recruited from all stratas of German society and forged into an elite praetorian guard. Ultimately they became the premier Waffen SS division and left their bleached bones on the battlefields of Normandy, Kursk, The Ardennes and a thousand other nameless locations.
Like all military elites they “looked the part” – none can deny their pre war turnout was both impressive and sinister in almost equal parts.
Their personal tragedy is that they fought and died for a murderous regime and an immoral cause that was cruel, despotic and evil in the extreme. But should we ignore them?
History is replete with less palatable truths that most of us prefer to turn a blind eye to… Roman Legions routinely executed prisoners…Vikings butchered, raped and pillaged their way along the coastlines of Europe…Crusaders frequently massacred Muslims, Jews and other Christians.
In more modern days the British civilized Africa with a bible in one hand and the Martini Henry *455 in the other.
And let’s not forget that after America captured The Philippines from Spain they killed at least 250,000 Filipinos (men, women and children) putting down an independence movement.
So, what I’m trying to say is that to be interested in a particular series or part of history does not make one a “fellow traveler” of that same point of view.
Even in these “politically correct” times ignorance of even basic modern history is tragically all too common.
Ask any high school (even college) student these days about World War Two – its causes, events and effects and you will be dazzled by their ignorance.
We need constant reminders, large and small, of just what big parades…black uniforms…and simple solutions to complex problems can lead to.
Disaster…destruction…and, sometimes, death camps.
Finally, whilst I fully respect anyone’s wish not to collect any series that may offend them. I also believe that others may choose to collect that very same series for a wide variety of very respectable historical reasons
That’s freedom… that’s what our parents and grandparents fought for and …thank God they won!
Sincerely,
Andy C. Neilson
P.S. Re the questions about Heydrich and Rohm I will answer these as soon as I get into the office.
*******
To The Forum
Subject: “About the LAH”
Dear Forum,
I have thought long and hard about the recent posts on the L.A.H. and here is my response.
We produce L.A.H. for the pure and simple reason that it is part of history and we are a company that designs and produces historical military miniatures.
That said, there are other more complex reasons. The Second World War was one of the pivotal events of the Twentieth, or indeed any other century, in the history of mankind. It’s effects and ramifications are still felt to this day.
Being brought up in the nineteen fifties I had a very “comic book” view of “The War” and the reasons for it. “The Germans were bad… The British were good… and the Americans were late as usual!”
Of course as I grew older and learnt more I realized how distorted and naïve my original understanding was.
One particular question kept returning to haunt me, “How did a desperate bunch of gangsters led by an anti-social misfit (with an unfortunate resemblance to Charlie Chaplin) take over one of the most sophisticated and civilized countries in the World?”
Of course I knew “why” he did it but it was the “how” that continues to fascinate me even to this day.
I know I’m not alone in this interest because a continuing steady stream of books, documentaries, films are constantly emerging to cover the relatively short 12 year span of “The Thousand Year Reich”.
A very small part of this “steady stream” is our L.A.H. series. The Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler was not just a band of mindless things – they were originally recruited from all stratas of German society and forged into an elite praetorian guard. Ultimately they became the premier Waffen SS division and left their bleached bones on the battlefields of Normandy, Kursk, The Ardennes and a thousand other nameless locations.
Like all military elites they “looked the part” – none can deny their pre war turnout was both impressive and sinister in almost equal parts.
Their personal tragedy is that they fought and died for a murderous regime and an immoral cause that was cruel, despotic and evil in the extreme. But should we ignore them?
History is replete with less palatable truths that most of us prefer to turn a blind eye to… Roman Legions routinely executed prisoners…Vikings butchered, raped and pillaged their way along the coastlines of Europe…Crusaders frequently massacred Muslims, Jews and other Christians.
In more modern days the British civilized Africa with a bible in one hand and the Martini Henry *455 in the other.
And let’s not forget that after America captured The Philippines from Spain they killed at least 250,000 Filipinos (men, women and children) putting down an independence movement.
So, what I’m trying to say is that to be interested in a particular series or part of history does not make one a “fellow traveler” of that same point of view.
Even in these “politically correct” times ignorance of even basic modern history is tragically all too common.
Ask any high school (even college) student these days about World War Two – its causes, events and effects and you will be dazzled by their ignorance.
We need constant reminders, large and small, of just what big parades…black uniforms…and simple solutions to complex problems can lead to.
Disaster…destruction…and, sometimes, death camps.
Finally, whilst I fully respect anyone’s wish not to collect any series that may offend them. I also believe that others may choose to collect that very same series for a wide variety of very respectable historical reasons
That’s freedom… that’s what our parents and grandparents fought for and …thank God they won!
Sincerely,
Andy C. Neilson
P.S. Re the questions about Heydrich and Rohm I will answer these as soon as I get into the office.
