President Obama’s speech in Germany at the Buchenwald concentration camp, alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Elie Wiesel, the highly acclaimed Holocaust survivor, was a moment of emotion and great recognition of the significance of the Holocaust, and at the same time, a condemnation of those who deny the Holocaust ever occurred.
Obama’s own great uncle on his mother’s side helped to liberate a portion of the Buchenwald concentration camp in 1945, and it had a long range impact on the man. One could see how shook up Obama was at seeing direct evidence of the mass loss of human life that took place at Buchenwald and at many other camps during the time of Hitler and World War II.
The fact that Iran’s President, and so called scholars, and also David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader, could conduct conferences that deny the veracity of the Holocaust was roundly criticized, as Obama said this kind of horror could not be allowed to happen ever again.
Obama certainly made a great impression that he understood the importance of this issue and would not sit idly by as this kind of situation arose again in the future.
I would agree.
Obama’s speech was not only moving; it also showed our strong support for Germany (the richest and most influential of the EU countries), showed that we still remember those who lost their lives in such a horrible fashion, and may have begun to mend the frail relationships left by the Bush administration.
I also agree that this type of event must not be allowed to happen again. However, I do think the the US must make a promise to all nations when making this statement. In many parts of the world (Rawanda) and other areas there has been ongoing genocide that has been well documented. But, because of the lack of strategically placed land and/or resources, past administrations have failed to act (other than small humanitarian aid). Obama must end this practice and I think he will.
Iran’s president (much like Hitler) is trying to encite extream nationalism by finding a group to blame and denying them the mourning they certainly deserve. He will get his. I feel sometime this year the US and others around the globe will act……and there won’t be much left standing when we do.
I am impressed with Obama’s ability to reach out to the rest of the world and let them see that our choices in 2000 & 2004 are not representative of what we want (collectively) as a country or a people.
I hope you are enjoying your summer, Professor. I look forward to discussiong FDR in the fall! 🙂