RESISTANCE TO HITLER

Its a coincidence that there are two WW2 movies out now about resistance to Hitler. One is DEFIANCE about Jewish resistance, and the other is about German resistance to Hitler, VALKYRIE. Both are straightforward and well crafted. VALKYRIE does beg the question as to why the German military left it so late--Hitler killed himself within 9 months of the failed attempt to blow him up. The war was obviously lost--is that why they decided to kill him? Also I felt General Rommel should have been mentioned, since he had to kill himself after his involvement was discovered. Ditto Obergruppenfuhrer Artur Nebe was an important plotter, the number four man in the Gestapo and the top Reich cop. The Goethe Institute in LA had an opening for a Stauffenberg exhibition last week in sync with the movie. His grand niece was there as well as the son of a murdered co-conspirator. The issue of timing was glossed over with apparent platitudes:  emphasized was the belief that the point was the officers tried to kill Hitler, not that they failed, etc. It all seemed to be clutching at straws, which I guess is understandable given the scale of the Nazi catastrophe. Any redeeming behavior by German military officers was a relief, albeit too little, too late. A Lithuanian who had fought on the German side stood up and declared the coup failed because it was executed by officers, who didn't know what they were doing! He was in East Prussia when it occurred and witnessed tremendous commotion on the day. There are some unusual writings by Stauffenberg in the show indicating that he had not totally rejected some of the philosophies that created Nazism, apparently celebrating hyped up nationalism and his class. It was Hitler himself that had to go.

The German Consul pointed out that in 1943 the Allies declared the war would only end in unconditional surrender, indirectly suggesting this made it difficult for would-be plotters to approach the Allies for help. Fortunately Churchill and Roosevelt were early advocates of resistance to Hitler, and ultimately effective.

Obama Momentous

It is fantastically exciting to see Obama step up to the job. Its a triumph for the country. In a way its also a triumph for the much maligned Sixties. No Sixties, no Obama. This last administration was so depressing that one can almost feel a cloud lifting from the whole country. History is palpable--you can feel it in the streets. I don't now whether I am imagining things but people seem to be looking at each other in a different way. Obama's achievement is truly momentous already.