"The U.S. and the Holocaust" - New Ken Burns Documentary Examines America's Response: PBS

[appalachiablue]

- PBS. A new documentary from Ken Burns and his colleagues premiers this Sunday, Sept. 18 on PBS, the first of 3 nights.

The film is a different window into the Holocaust with a focus on the U.S. and raises troubling questions about this country's history and actions. Burns is calling it the most important film he will ever make.

[Behind the Aegis]

1. I should have taken notes.

I just said in another thread that I have spent years studying the lead up to, the Holocaust, and the aftermath, and there was quite a bit even I didn't know! I literally just finished a book, The Last Million: Europe's Displaced Persons from World War to Cold War by David Nasaw, in which the aftermath of the war and the Holocaust was dissected and still, this 2-hour documentary hit with all kinds of new information. The next installment I plan to have a notepad on hand.

It is depressing in the knowledge of what part 2 is going to bring and frightening in how many modern-day parallels there are.

ETA: If you don't mind, could you post this in the Jewish Group, including the &quot Jewish Group)" in the title of the OP. I don't want people getting "confused" as to where they are commenting.

[appalachiablue]

6. X-post all done, thanks for suggesting. I'm looking forward to learning

even more, esp. after seeing your comments. But with it comes more horror and anger.. I met KB once, he was at the National Archives for a book lecture on his Civil War film. What a pleasant and knowledgeable person.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I planned on posting this, too, just got done watching the first repeat. And it's on again tomorrow.

Followed by Part 2 on Tuesday. It sure was heartwrenching - especially since e already know the history.

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

[madamesilverspurs]

4. Compelling.

And given the timeliness of some obvious parallels, we don't have to guess who won't like it.

Especially chilling in its familiarity was the discussion of Germany's conservatives' manipulations to get Hitler into power in the belief that they would be able to control him.

The rest of the episodes will be just as informative. And I'll be watching every one, damn it.


.

[burrowowl]

5. A must watch!

[dflprincess]

7. Ken Burns is a national treasure. Nt

[appalachiablue]

8. Definitely, good man. #6.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Ken Burns is going to be the guest on with Stephen Colbert tomorrow night!

I'll be posting the video if anyone misses it.

[ShazzieB]

10. Oh, goody!

TIA, I'll be watching for your post!

[Duppers]

11. My good friend was his sound editor...

for yrs, including for The Civil War series.

[people]

12. The details I did not know . . .

The two most frightening things about it were how much Hitler's complete and total disregard of laws and norms was so much like T. Also, to the extent Hitler began his ascent to power by playing on the German citizens' difficult economic circumstances and fears and telling them he alone could fix things was so much like T. T's initial speech as president painted such a terrible picture of this country and was designed to frighten people into following only him -- only he could fix this terrible situation. T's wealthy powerful backers and Hitler's backers are the same types of people. Prominent wealthy Germans believed they could control Hitler and that they could depend on him to rein in the labor unions and communists, which is something they wanted, just like the republicans thought they could moderate T's craziness and depend on T to get them the gigantic tax breaks and the judges they wanted. Hitler blamed it all on the jews and T blames it on people who are not white and now everyone else who has stood in this way.

The extent of antisemitism in the U.S. in the period leading up to our entry into WWII were more than what I knew.

The horrible history of our treatment of native americans, and black americans served as models that Hitler adopted. Sad, sad, sad.

[PlutosHeart]

13. My husband won't watch it because he taught Indian/White history

at a University and is Indigenous. It is too hard for him sadly.

I thought I knew a lot especially concerning slavery which btw also enslaved Indigenous and sent them off to foreign lands but KB has so much new information I was totally unaware of. Amazing F)&*^ work!

TBH I am totally freaked out from watching this even more than before.

[SunSeeker]

14. K & R

[spike jones]

15. Fascism has seldom been voted out of office, we must vote to keep them from getting into office.

“The Holocaust resulted neither from a confluence of circumstances beyond human control nor from history’s inexorable march. It happened because ordinary people failed to stop it.”

[appalachiablue]

16. ++ Thanks for this disturbing reality.