Forgetful
By Mitch Berg
The MinnPost, in observance of Minnesota’s 150th birthday, is compiling a list of Minnesota events they’d just as soon forget.
And some of them, to be honest, make me wonder. I mean, I know, I know – you don’t dare insult anyone’s patriotism, yadda yadda – but:
1943
The Minnesota Legislature asks the federal government to set up a prisoner-of-war camp to replace the droves of workers joining the military in World War II. About 3,000 POWs were held in 21 camps between 1943 and 1945, according to “Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into Minnesota.”
Why would we want to “forget” that? For starters, it was a fact – the war left Minnesota’s farms drastically short of labor.
Beyond that? It was a huge success. The father of a German friend of mine from college had a father who was captured during the war, and spent time at a camp near New Ulm. The treatment he received at the hands of his captors convinced him that the American way was the right one. Steven Ambrose in Citizen Soldiers mentions other German Kriegsgefangene who, after spending time “incarcerated” in the New Ulm area (where many people spoke and still speak German), decided to immigrate. It’s exactly the sort of thing Michael Yon talks about as America’s greatest strength in the global war of ideas.
Forget it? We oughtta celebrate it.
Of course, one person’s “thing to forget” is another person’s “reason to celebrate”, I suppose:
1984
Nov. 6 — Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale of Minnesota loses 49 states, and the election, to Ronald Reagan.
Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical SocietyWalter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro campaigning in 1984.
I always save a few extra fireworks for election day, just to celebrate the landslide. But I guess I can see why the MinnPost doesn’t.
And there’s this other one that pops up several times:
1865
By the end of the Civil War, 1,800 Minnesotans lose their lives in the war between the North and the South.1918
2,716 Minnesotans lose their lives in World War I by its end in 1918.1945
By the end of World War II, 6,278 Minnesotans lose their lives serving in the war effort.1953
By the end of the Korean War, 688 Minnesotans have died in the fighting.1975
By the end of the Vietnam War, 1,072 Minnesotans lose their lives.
Nah. Not forgetting anything.
Of course, some things unite Minnesotans across most divides:
1919
Minnesota Congressman Andrew Volstead fashions legislation, called the Volstead Act, to criminalize booze. He is later tossed out of office and spends years heading prohibition enforcement for the Midwest out of offices in what is now Landmark Center in St. Paul. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union built a monument to him in Rice Park, which for some reason has disappeared.
Atomizer?
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 am
“And some of them, to be honest, make me wonder. I mean, I know, I know – you don’t dare insult anyone’s patriotism, yadda yadda – but:
1943
The Minnesota Legislature asks the federal government to set up a prisoner-of-war camp to replace the droves of workers joining the military in World War II. About 3,000 POWs were held in 21 camps between 1943 and 1945, according to “Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Plunges into Minnesota.”
And Angryclown knows you don’t dare compare anybody with the adherents of a certain right-wing ideology of the last century. But he suggests that Minnesota might not want to dwell on the qualities that made it such a desirable location for captured Nazi soldiers.
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:04 am
> The treatment he received at the hands of his captors convinced him that the American way was the right one. . . . It’s exactly the sort of thing Michael Yon talks about as America’s greatest strength in the global war of ideas.
That shows America’s strength?? Are you insane, Mitch??
Show the enemy that we’re that kind of weak-kneed Nellies about coddling prisoners and they’ll never cooperate! When we capture evil-doers, we better subject ’em to the harshest interrogation tactics the Chinese ever dreamed up.
We’re not in this war to convince the world that America is nice, we’re in this to convince them that being in American custody is the worst mofo thing that can ever happen to you.
That way, they won’t even try to surrender, and we get to kill ’em dead first.
Bring ’em on.
/jc
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:10 am
What? Is it a slow day over on FiverChat?
Couldja at least bring Marsha?
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:15 am
Last seen released in to the South Texas PUMA reserve.
Happy Independence Day,
/jc
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:32 am
The father of my best friend in high school had been a WWII Italian POW held in Missouri who immigrated back to the area where he’d been held and married an American girl. He taught his wife to cook Italian food, and her meals really moved me past the Chef Boy ar Dee and Spaghetti-o’s appreciation for Italian food!
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:37 am
Actually, happy 145th anniversary of Gen. Lee’s humiliating defeat at Gettysburg. Grant accepts the surrender of Vicksburg, 145 years ago tomorrow. Suck on it, Confederate traitors!
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:22 am
Clown,
Thanks for the reminder.
Duly noted.