Axis Sally, Addendum

An additional nugget....

So it sometime falls out that I encounter something fascinating for something I am writing after I have written it. In chewing over the concept of ‘victor’s amnesia’ I ran across this…

Which is one of the most singular bits of propaganda I have encountered in a very long time. The target audience was the American army of occupation, which, judging by this film, was showing a troubling tendency to forgive and forget. It’s hard to imagine today, the US government attempting to drum up animus against a defeated enemy. But the Germans were special. Its a good bit of work, interesting for what they were willing to show you, and for the fairly flattering assumptions they are making about their audience. Have a look, although they don’t shy away much from some of the gristlier doings of the Nazis.

One of the things being in the Army has taught me is outside of most posts, in addition to the tattoo parlors and instant check-cashing places, you will inevitably find three kinds of restaurants: German, Korean and Vietnamese. My pet theory is that these represent the work and efforts of spouses brought back from overseas deployments by previous tranches of GIs. This video didn’t work; within 2 years of its release, the Army had pretty much given up, and we were going skiing with Klaus and dating Helga, and well on our way to being NATO allies. Victor’s amnesia indeed.

Lastly, a thing about me is by the time I joined up late, at 40, my granddad, who was a career military man had died secure in the knowledge his grandson was a civilian. Its a pity; I would have loved to talk to him about our common occupation. I missed that chance.

Axis Sally reminded my mom that her father had told her that most of his unit was half in love with Tokyo Rose. It had never occurred to her to share that, but it sort of bubbled up, an artifact from the life of a man I love and miss. So Axis Sally brought me a gift from a ghost.