Customer Reviews

American Experience - America and the Holocaust

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This is really a very well done documentary about an area rarely covered and hardly known to the general pubic.

While America and her Allies deserve great credit for ending the hellish reign of the Nazis and thus playing the crucial role in the suvival of the remnant of the Jews in Europe (roughly some 250,000 people out of 6 plus million), they failed to act and even at times prevented actions that could have saved countless Jewish lives!

This documentary does an excellent job covering the basics: from the treachery of the US State Department, led by Breckenridge Small, who told consulates to obstruct the distribution of visas (some 50,000 were left unused when hundreds of thousands needed them to save their lives) to the Bergson group who ran provocative ads in major papers and performed a dramatic pageant to raise pubilc awareness.

In general, it's an eye-opener if you haven't heard this stuff and a well put together review and overview if you have.

There is stuff missing, however, and in my opinion some things were whitewashed. For instance, American Jewish leader Stephen Wise comes across pretty good in this documentary (and especially on the PBS website of the movie). In reality, this man did as much to hinder rescue as help it.

In August 1942, for instance, when reports of Nazi genocide reached Wise, he promised, under pressure from the State Department, not to publicize the news. "How could he pledge secrecy when millions of lives were involved?" asked Elie Wiesel twenty-five years later. "How was he not driven mad by the secret?" Seemingly, for Wise, loyalty to President Roosevelt and his administration, however misplaced came before exerting pressure to save lives. While the facts are stated in the documentary -- e.g. that he got the news in August but didn't publicize it till November -- it is not explicitly spelled out that Wise did anything wrong in withholding the information. The facts are not told with the necessary edge that paints Wise as a Roosevelt lackey whose loyalty cost countless lives.

Although the documentary mentions the promising opportunity in 1943 to save 70,000 Rumanian Jews it doesn't mention how Wise was one of those who attempted to block the efforts, or that in 1944, when public pressure built up for the creation of a special War Refugee Board, Wise testified before Congress against this proposal, or when 400 Rabbis marched on Washington it was Stephen Wise and his associates who persuaded Roosevelt against receiving the Rabbis.

My point is not to excoriate Wise (although he deserves it). And there were certainly other Jewish "leaders" who failed miserably as well. My point is that the documentary plays soft in spots when the truth demanded some hard hits.

In the end, though, it really is an excellent, broad documentary that covers the basics of a neglected area; a documentary that will make you better informed even as it makes your blood boil.

Like so many others, I grew up in the era in which our history classes clearly taught that FDR and America were undisputed world heroes in handling the WWII/Holocaust era. The truth is more complicated than that, as this DVD shows. While politicians controlling America's immigration machinery fiddled, real human beings burned, and the disinformation campaign on top of this is surreal in its aggravation of the tragedy. Even having been an avid student of this era my entire adult lifetime, and having read or viewed a broad array of available materials, I found this DVD to add significantly to what needs to be understood and remembered. It is a prized addition to my collection.

Follows the tragic story of a man who's family perished in the Holocaust because of US State Department policies preventing their immigration, with further documentation offered by historians.

We watched this movie when it first came out. I wanted my grandchildren to watch it now that they are entering their teens. They need to be aware of what really happened in history..They sure aren't getting it in school these days. Shame on us all...
The pkg was great and the movies was shipped as new and arrived in new condition.

This is a fine addition to a holocaust film library. For all those who wonder what the U.S. government's response was while Hitler was killing Europe's Jews, this film will answer many questions. There are some upstanding Christians like Will Rogers Jr. and Mr. Pele. However, much of Christian America was anti-Semitic at the time. The Jews of the U.S. did not feel secure in their own country. Thus, many misguided Jews like Rabbi Wise supported Roosevelt's administration policies. Breckenridge Long placed in charge of immigration for war refugees was himself an ardent anti-Semite who blocked the issuing of Visas to Jewish refugees at every turn. He could not have been more obstructionist without putting out a sign publicly that stated he hated Jews. American Jews were themselves victims of exclusionary policies keeping them out of certain fields, certain industries and even preventing the few Jewish doctors from having hospital privileges. Hotels, resorts, and residential areas excluded Jews. Some corporations like the three major car companies refused to hire Jews. They would sell to Jews or allow them to have dealerships, but they wouldn't hire them. The white glove law firms would not hire Jews. There were Jewish quotas in Universities and professional schools which severely limited Jewish admissions. Universities did not hire Jewish professors. There were exceptions here and there. However, American Jews having just left the depression behind were economically and socially vulnerable so many did not want to make waves or call attention to the anti-Antisemitism in our government and industry. Thus, many were afraid to speak out and urge government response. They were afraid that they too would be persecuted by Christian America. There was a small but vocal and active Nazi party and white power group here in the U.S. Some like Peter Bergson did speak out. Some brave Christians spoke out too. There just weren't enough people with power and influence calling for the rescue of Europe's Jews. Had the U.S. and Britain acted fervently upon learning of the fate of Europe's Jews, probably half of the 6,000,000 could have been saved. However, they didn't want them. It is truly sad as so many talented artists, musicians, scientists, physicians, professors, historians and writers were forever lost. For so many who thought that FDR was a true American hero, this film will be a surprise. He too in spite of his appointment of Henry Morganthau must have been anti-Semitic himself. He was a true politician. Only the threat of historical records probably forced him to set up the War Refugee Board. The Board probably saved 200,000 Jews who would have perished, but the Roosevelt administration responded as little as it could to even their requests. History has so far been charitable to FDR. I wish someone would be more frank in their historical perspective. He is the sacred cow that no one will criticize since he pulled us out of the depression and took us to victory in WWII. Had Elenore been president, she would have done much more. I can't say for sure if he was just behaving politically or if he was a true anti-Semite. He left no smoking gun. However, he must have been an anti-Semite to ignore and obstruct any remedial action that could have been brought to save Jews. I will always find fault with the fact that he failed to bomb Auschwitz while bombing the IG Farben factory a mere 5 miles away. For Breckinridge Long there is a special place in hell.

The history of American Christian's dislike (hatred)of Jews is never talked about. If you see this documentary you will know why. 5 STARS.