V2/A4 Thoughts (1 Viewer)

[fmethorst]

I received my Figarti V2 yesterday and it caused me to reflect about the people involved in its production. More people died building these missiles than they killed.

There are a number of editorials regarding Wernher von Braun ranging from complicty to direct involment in war crimes. It goes to show that the world is grey and to attempt to simplify it to good and bad isn't realistic. The American space program certainly benefited from the technology as did the ICBM program.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelbau-Dora

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mittelwerk


http://www.v2rocket.com/start/chapters/mittel.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun

 

[OzDigger]

I reckon Braun, and Speer for that matter had a good idea of what was happening but turned a blind eye for their own personal ambitions.

The Dr Who serial 'Genesis of the Daleks' was based on the German rocket program: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_of_the_Daleks

 

[JPB]

It is this technology that got the Americans to the moon, and win the space race.

JP

 

[Gideon]

He's got an incredible history, doesn't he? Personally, I feel strongly that he was a scientist on a mission and "little things" such as slave labor and occupational deaths meant little to nothing to him. That joining the SS was a "good career move" and that he was absolutely driven to endless lengths to accomplish his life-long dream.

He got us to the moon and contributed mighty heavily to our space and wepaons programs.

I think about what he accepted along his accomplishments list and I shudder.

The ends justify the means? I really can't say for sure. I guess he is one of those historic grey areas. And, he seems to have tried reconciling this too.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Gid,

The ends do not justify the means. Nothing good that comes from his experiments makes up for the thousands who suffered and died along the way. And if the politicians and generals running our war effort were half the men of the soldiers fighting the war, neither Von Braun nor the jap chemists the U.S. spared because we wanted the results of their chimical warfare experiments, would have gotten away with mass murder.

 

[Gideon]

Lou,

I understand that. I really do. Fact is that throughout history, people died horrible deaths at the whim of those who wanted to "try something new" or some such thing. I know.

This guy is very interesting though. Seems he was trying to reconcile what he did throughout his life - not that I agree with him.

We could possibly have just begun to get into space right now as opposed to 45 years ago and I think that would have been fine if The War had not pushed technology so far ahead.

History is a wild thing in this way. There are so many "what if's" and then there is reality of what happened.

Yeah, I would probably have held Wehrner personally liable for many of the deaths which occured under his watch, complicity with the death camps, etc - but I wasn't there and that isn't what happened.

So many got away controversy being their worst punishment. And, that is just as true today.

 

[JPB]

Gid,

The ends do not justify the means. Nothing good that comes from his experiments makes up for the thousands who suffered and died along the way. And if the politicians and generals running our war effort were half the men of the soldiers fighting the war, neither Von Braun nor the jap chemists the U.S. spared because we wanted the results of their chimical warfare experiments, would have gotten away with mass murder.

Not to mention the Belgians who supplied the uranium and could keep their collonies while the others had to give all collonies up...

 

[IXEC]

Oh my my, about this world. If you only knew it all.

We can't stop and get off.


The evil of Tyranny is boundless. Our Nazi's against their Nazi's, which ones do you want to win? Look at your children, and you would sell your soul to make SURE their safe.

There are NO wishful choices, just hopeful results, be it right or WRONG.

The Rocket Program put a stop, for now, to the extinction of mankind with the concept of Mutually Assured Distruction in 30 min., because there is no defence YET, againts it.

Your Goverment Working For You, and you ain't seen nothing yet, where only eight years into the new century and we've got the privilege to judge the last, because we had more money and smarter NAZI'S.

How far would you go to win THE WAR, don't answer that question unless you really know whats ahead if you DON"T WIN.

WERE in a GLOBAL WAR NOW. Never forget Freedom ISN"T FREE. Thank a vet for what we have so far, and I hope in the FUTURE.



IXEC