Discrimination American Style

During World War I (that is One) two American service men performed deeds of courage and danger to themselves-one dying of his injuries in his early 30's.  It is news now because they were never given the recognition they deserved, not because of some bureaucratic snafu, but because of bigotry.  Sgt William Shemin risked his life to save fellow soldiers on the front lines in France but was ignored for the Medal of Honor because he was Jewish.  Pvt Henry Johnson, a member of the "Harlem Hellfighters", was ignored because he was black; he died destitute in his early 30's from his injuries.  Efforts by their families and friends finally brought them the recognition they deserved 100 years ago.  President Obama gave the Medal of Honor award to Shemin's daughters and Johnson's fellow NY National Guard veterans this past week in the White House.  The extent and degree of our bigotry never ceases to sicken me regardless of how much of it I come across in reading American history.

(Source:  "Two World War I vets receive Medal of Honor" by the AP.  The Record on 6/3/15)

Vietnam War death toll.

The Virginian Pilot-newspaper from Virginia Beach, VA.-published on Memorial Day this year a listing of the number of US service personnel killed in the Vietnam War.  They list a total of 58,230 and the deaths by year as follows: 1956 to 64 = 416, 1965 = 1928, 1966 = 6350, 1967 = 11,362, 1968 = 16899, 1969 = 11,780, 1970 = 6173, 1971 = 2414, 1972 to 2006 = 897.  The article also lists those who died from the Virginia Beach area, and the first death is listed as 1961; the last death listed as 1979.  We left in 1973 and the war ended in 1975 with the North Vietnamese taking over the entire country.  Why then are there seven listed killed from the Virginia Beach area at a time when the war was supposedly over?  I wonder how many died there after 1975 from the US in all.  On further reading of the article those death were listed when they were declared dead, not when they might actually had been killed. (The Virginian Pilot on 5/25/15 "Vietnam War: Remember" (One should not jump to conclusions without all the facts considered first; a valuable lesson).

World War II prisoner exchange

The book-The Train to Crystal City-details a secret prisoner exchange program with Germany during the war.  The author is Jan Jarboe Russell.  Some German's and their families living in this country were taking in custody and held in a secret internment camp in Texas called Crystal City.  At some point during the war they were exchanged for Americans trapped in Germany when the war broke out; diplomats, businessmen and POW's.  The review states "Axis nationals living abroad in 13 Latin American countries were also deported to the United States, arrested for illegal entry and delivered to Crystal City..." based on same unproven idea that they might be engaged in pro Axis propaganda  and espionage.  The camp at 290 acres, held 6000 people from Dec 1942 till Feb 1948; some being American citizens by virtue of birth in the US.  The exchanges were known as "quiet passages" with many going to countries destroyed by war.  President Reagan issued a formal apology in 1988 for the internment of Japanese Americans and Congress offered restitution amounting to $ 37 million (I knew a man-a child at the time of internment-who got $ 20,000).  German and German Americans-some 10,000-were never issued an apology or restitution (as of the date of this review).  I believe we-history teachers-have all heard of the internment of Japanese Americans, but I have never heard of the this treatment of German Americans during the war.  Info from a book review in The Virginian Pilot "Shameful chapter for a Nation of Immigrants" by Megan McDonough of the Washington Post on May 24, 2015.  

World War II non-combat deaths

In the book "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand that reports on the life of Louie Zamperini, we are informed that in the Pacific theater of action the Army Air Force lost more planes to accidents and non-combat situations that to actual combat.  On page 70 Delacorte Press "young adults" edition, the author notes "...for every plane lost in combat, some six planes were lost in accidents...almost 36,000 airmen died in nonbattle situations...majority accidental crashes".  The author also notes that 36,000 planes were lost and the same number of planes and lives lost might be suspect; more research will be needed to confirm this fact.

Richard Nixon

New, previously classified telephone conversations and other information by former President Lyndon Johnson have been released to the public.  They confirm "that Richard Nixon sabotaged Vietnam peace talks in October 1968 in order to strengthen his own presidential campaign...Defense Sect Clark Clifford told Johnson that the FBI had overheard a Nixon campaign adviser persuading the South Vietnamese government to withdraw from peace talks, promising them a better deal if they wait until Nixon is elected. Hanoi was offering major concessions at the time, and a settlement would have allowed Johnson to stop bombing North Vietnam".  Johnson accused Nixon of treason but kept quite for fear of alerting the South Vietnamese that their phones were being bugged by the FBI.  As this source notes, the war continued with an additional 22,000 Americans being killed.  (Source:  "Washington D.C. Nixonian guile".  In The Week for March 29, 2013)

NSA spying

During the Vietnam War era the NSA conducted surveillance on a number of high profile Americans with the knowledge of President Nixon; he wanted to know if they were receiving aid from abroad.  Those spied on included Martin Luther King Jr, Muhammad Ali, Sen Frank Church, Sen Howard Baker and Art Buchwald and Tom Wicker. What is odd about this list is that Baker was a supporter of the war in Vietnam while the others opposed it.  It is also disturbing that the last two on the list where journalists, and a intelligence historian noted, "since when did journalists become legitimate intelligence targets".  The spying went on from 1967 to 1973 and included some 1800 names.  This article notes that spying of ths nature is not something new to our political world.  The CIA and the Army were involved at some point, and the FBI provided some names.  The program was called "Minaret".  

(Source:  "NSA snooped on MLK, Ali, Buchwald, other critics" by Richard Leiby of the Washington Post.  In The Virginian Pilot on 9/29/13.

Timbuctoo in New Jersey

A recent newspaper article reported on a village of "freed and runaway slaves along Rancocas Creek" in Burlington County, NJ.  A Temple University archaeology dig at the site is turning up thousands of artifacts on the buried village.  A small cemetery off Church Road is the only thing left of the site and has grave markers of 13 soldiers of the US Colored Troops who fought in the Civil War.  It is believed the village started aroung 1825, included 125 families and ended in mid 20th century.  Besides being a site on the Underground Railroad during the Civil war is was also known for a battle to protect runaway slaves from a slave catcher and his 12 or so followers in pursuit of a runaway.  The village members fought them off with what ever weapons they could find to protect the former slave.  That incident is known as the Battle of Pine Swamp in 1860.  The township of Westampton and the Burlington County Lyceum of History at Mount Holly Library are preserving the site and displaying the artifacts.

(Source: "Enclave of former slaves uncovered in South Jersey" by Jan Hefler of The Philadelphia Enquirer.  From The Record on 12/2/14.)