Ken Burns: The U.S. and the Holocaust


I didn't see any thread about this documentary. I was putting off watching it simply because PBS has really dropped the ball lately and I expected this to be some woke "the USA is actually run by evil white people" documentary. But, I like Ken Burns so I gave it a try and I think this may be his best one yet.

It's not just another the holocaust was really bad feature presentation, rather it focused more on the mindset of the anglosphere at the time with preserving the white race through eugenics and strict immigration laws. Growing up, we were taught in school that the USA and Europe tried to help those fleeing the Nazis but they couldn't do enough within such a short time span. This documentary challenged that claim by showing the support (not just appeasement) other nations showed for Hitler, the pro-Nazi movements in America, and the political opposition FDR faced for wanting to help refugees.

The series was 3 episodes, each about 2 hours. Here are some bullets on things I found interesting:

-Hitler was largely influenced by the American eugenics movement.
-Laws supporting the forceful sterilizations of those deemed unfit to breed was legal in a majority of states in the USA.
-Henry Ford, the automobile giant, turned down the British and built vehicles for the Germans. He was awarded the highest civilian honor by the Nazis, the Order of the German Eagle.
-Hollywood, even though it was mostly run my Jews, agreed to not produce Anti-German films and the German consulate "had a say" over film production.
-FDR was branded a jew-lover for wanting to help refugees. Charles Lindberg, the aviator, was the voice of opposition in support of staying neutral and preserving the white race. Lindberg was awarded the Order of the German Eagle for his support.
-2 out of every 3 American thought the Jews created their own problems when the Nazis began to forcefully segregate them in Germany.
-The Alien Registration Act was passed in 1940 out of fear that foreign spies were posing as immigrants, seeking to overthrow the government. Visa applicants above 14yrs old were required to register and be fingerprinted.
-The American media supported the Nazis and were quick to denounced any accusations of brutality in Germany.
-The Nazis became so desperate to kill Jews and "useless eaters" they resorted to mass carbon monoxide poisoning from vehicle exhaust.
-Once evidence of the mass killings of peoples in Germany began to surface, the American State Department suppressed photos and letters it received and quietly requested that organizations stopped sending them.
-Cordell Hull, the head of the State Department, worked under FDR's nose to slow immigration.
-Half of Americans did not believe the mass killings were taking place when the Soviets began to discover the graves and camps.

Of course, it turns woke at the last 10 minutes with the filmmakers showing Trump, MAGAers, and the infamous Jan. 6 "riot" as proof the new Nazi movement is already here. It seems like they missed the plot completely, but it's still a good eye opening documentary. After watching this you won't wonder why the United States snuck all those Nazis into their government under Truman's nose.
 
I watched this,

At 6:44 Burns talks about his films. The interviewer paraphrases something Burns said about his films, that every film he did "It's about us."

That statement has a nice ring but I'd be interested to know how exactly does he understand "us" in the context of USA, because the common understanding of that word completely misses the mark in what frequently happens in History.
Aid to Ukraine "is about us" ?

Do you know where his film is available other than the link you gave, as that link will not work for me in the EU ?
 
I watched this,

At 6:44 Burns talks about his films. The interviewer paraphrases something Burns said about his films, that every film he did "It's about us."

That statement has a nice ring but I'd be interested to know how exactly does he understand "us" in the context of USA, because the common understanding of that word completely misses the mark in what frequently happens in History.
Aid to Ukraine "is about us" ?

Do you know where his film is available other than the link you gave, as that link will not work for me in the EU ?
Burns probably means us in terms of the United States, most of his work is about American history.

The link I posted was just the trailer to the series on youtube. I watched it on Amazon prime video, I’m not sure where else it can be viewed.
 
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