Burt eagerly awaited Governor Stevenson's Korea response.
"Let's talk sense to the American people. Peace is far more important than who wins this election. Let's talk sense about what we have gained by our determination, our expenditures and our valor in Korea.
We have proven that communism can go no further unless it is willing to risk world war.
We have proven to all the peoples of the Far East that communism is not the wave of the future, that it can be stopped.
We have helped to save the peoples of Indo-China from communist conquest. We have smashed the threat to Japan through Korea and so have strengthened this friend and ally. We have discouraged the Chinese Communists from striking at Formosa.
We have trained and equipped a large army of South Koreans who can assume a growing share of the defense of this country.
We have blocked the road to Communist domination of the Far East and frustrated the creation of a position of power which would have threatened the whole world. We have asserted that whenever Communist soldiers choose freedom after falling into our hands, they are free.
My opponents say that America cannot afford to be strong. I say that America cannot afford to be weak. I promise no easy solutions, no relief from burdens and anxieties, for to do this would not only be dishonest, it would be to attack the foundations of our greatness.
I can offer something infinitely better: an opportunity to work and sacrifice that freedom may flourish. For, as William James truly said, 'When we touch our upper limit and live in our own highest center of energy, we may call ourselves saved.'
I call upon America to reject the new isolationism and to surpass her own glorious achievements. Then we may deserve to call ourselves the sons of our fathers."
Burt was not disappointed.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Europe plus Israel 1973
After our trip across the USA in 1972 (Drive to California), my ex-wife (Bonita) and I decided to return to Europe in 1973. We had spent a month there two years earlier (Europe 1971). Besides Europe, our trip this time would take us to Israel.
We began with a KLM flight from JFK to Amsterdam. After arriving at Schiphol Airport, we took a train downtown.
I quickly learned the train station is located in their "red light" district. Walking the narrow sidewalks next to a canal, I noticed a woman sitting in front of a large picture window wearing only a flimsy negligee. I thought this woman had no shame until I noticed a similarly clad woman a few doors down. A bell then went off in my head.
Instead of vendors selling hot dogs as in New York, Amsterdam's street vendors sold pickled herring, a delicacy I learned from my father. They were delicious and cheap. I ate a lot.
We took a tour of the city and discovered that, unlike Texas that boasts how large everything is, Amsterdam boasts how small everything is. We also visited the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank house and took day trips to Rotterdam and The Hague.
From Amsterdam, we took an overnight train to Copenhagen, Denmark, which made a stopover in the middle of the night in Hamburg, Germany. I was sound asleep in our compartment when I was awakened by a loud speaker in the station shouting, "achtung, achtung." It reminded me of the scene from Casablanca when the Gestapo told Parisians how to behave when German troops would march into the city.
Copenhagen is the cleanest city I have ever been in. There were waste baskets everywhere so there was no excuse to litter. There seemed to be pastry shops (real Danish pastry) on every block. I recall sitting in a beautiful park eating some pastry being careful not to make a mess.
Our landlady expressed disappointment we were not black. At the time, since you didn't see any in Denmark, they were a curiosity.
We spent at least one evening in Tivoli Gardens. Another day we took a boat ride to Malmo, Sweden.
From Copenhagen, we took a train to Berlin, at the time a divided city. We entered from the east to get to our destination, West Berlin. Before arriving, our papers were carefully checked on the train by East German officials. Outside the train, heavily-armed police and dogs checked the exterior to make sure nobody escaped hiding there.
West Berlin reminded me of New York, a bustling, vibrant, modern city. One day we traveled across Checkpoint Charlie back to East Berlin. From there we could see American and East German/Soviet soldiers pointing guns at each other from opposite sides of the wall that separated the two halves.
East Berlin looked like a ghost town with gray buildings and few pedestrians. We saw an East German soldier goose stepping in front of a Soviet war memorial marking the communist victory over the Nazis in 1945.
When we returned to West Berlin, we first had to go back through East German immigration. Bonita's American passport was returned quickly. Mine, much longer. I was nervous I was going to be in East Berlin more than I wanted. Eventually, my passport came back and we got the hell out of there.
From Schonefeld Airport in East Berlin, we took a charter flight to Tel Aviv in Israel. After landing, we stayed overnight at a hotel where the receptionist was watching a Hebrew dubbed version of the popular American TV show, Hawaii 5-O. Tel Aviv is a very secular Jewish city. Every where you look, there are Jews. Coming from a world where Jews were a minority, it was fascinating for us to be there.
The next day we took a bus to Jerusalem, staying in an Arab hotel near the Damascus Gate of the ancient walled portion of the city. Passing through the Gate, we walked the narrow streets with no visible names, finding a variety of shops selling goods with no price tags. Bargaining was expected.
Bonita was looking for a sheep skin jacket. We visited numerous shops offering such before she found what she was looking for at a good price. Another day, she wanted to return to the same shop to buy another one for her sister. With no map, I was proud of myself for finding the same place again.
West Jerusalem is a modern city where we visited Hebrew University, the Knesset and Yad Vashem among other places.
From Jerusalem, we took a bus north and stayed at a kibutz for a couple of days. Then on to Haifa, a beautiful city, similar to San Francisco. I remember falling ill and staying in bed one whole day while Bonita took a bus to a nearby Arab market. And then on to Netanya, a beach community on the Mediterranean where we just relaxed.
After returning to Tel Aviv, we flew to London with a stopover at the Athens Airport. We enjoyed the British capital for a number of reasons, including the locals spoke English. The breakfasts in our hotel were like what we were used at home. We saw the usual tourist attractions, the Tower of London, the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park. We went to a play one night.
Finally, we took a boat ride across the English Channel to Amsterdam and our KLM flight back to New York. It was my last trip to Europe before this year's visit to Portugal.
We began with a KLM flight from JFK to Amsterdam. After arriving at Schiphol Airport, we took a train downtown.
I quickly learned the train station is located in their "red light" district. Walking the narrow sidewalks next to a canal, I noticed a woman sitting in front of a large picture window wearing only a flimsy negligee. I thought this woman had no shame until I noticed a similarly clad woman a few doors down. A bell then went off in my head.
Instead of vendors selling hot dogs as in New York, Amsterdam's street vendors sold pickled herring, a delicacy I learned from my father. They were delicious and cheap. I ate a lot.
We took a tour of the city and discovered that, unlike Texas that boasts how large everything is, Amsterdam boasts how small everything is. We also visited the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank house and took day trips to Rotterdam and The Hague.
From Amsterdam, we took an overnight train to Copenhagen, Denmark, which made a stopover in the middle of the night in Hamburg, Germany. I was sound asleep in our compartment when I was awakened by a loud speaker in the station shouting, "achtung, achtung." It reminded me of the scene from Casablanca when the Gestapo told Parisians how to behave when German troops would march into the city.
Copenhagen is the cleanest city I have ever been in. There were waste baskets everywhere so there was no excuse to litter. There seemed to be pastry shops (real Danish pastry) on every block. I recall sitting in a beautiful park eating some pastry being careful not to make a mess.
Our landlady expressed disappointment we were not black. At the time, since you didn't see any in Denmark, they were a curiosity.
We spent at least one evening in Tivoli Gardens. Another day we took a boat ride to Malmo, Sweden.
From Copenhagen, we took a train to Berlin, at the time a divided city. We entered from the east to get to our destination, West Berlin. Before arriving, our papers were carefully checked on the train by East German officials. Outside the train, heavily-armed police and dogs checked the exterior to make sure nobody escaped hiding there.
West Berlin reminded me of New York, a bustling, vibrant, modern city. One day we traveled across Checkpoint Charlie back to East Berlin. From there we could see American and East German/Soviet soldiers pointing guns at each other from opposite sides of the wall that separated the two halves.
East Berlin looked like a ghost town with gray buildings and few pedestrians. We saw an East German soldier goose stepping in front of a Soviet war memorial marking the communist victory over the Nazis in 1945.
When we returned to West Berlin, we first had to go back through East German immigration. Bonita's American passport was returned quickly. Mine, much longer. I was nervous I was going to be in East Berlin more than I wanted. Eventually, my passport came back and we got the hell out of there.
From Schonefeld Airport in East Berlin, we took a charter flight to Tel Aviv in Israel. After landing, we stayed overnight at a hotel where the receptionist was watching a Hebrew dubbed version of the popular American TV show, Hawaii 5-O. Tel Aviv is a very secular Jewish city. Every where you look, there are Jews. Coming from a world where Jews were a minority, it was fascinating for us to be there.
The next day we took a bus to Jerusalem, staying in an Arab hotel near the Damascus Gate of the ancient walled portion of the city. Passing through the Gate, we walked the narrow streets with no visible names, finding a variety of shops selling goods with no price tags. Bargaining was expected.
Bonita was looking for a sheep skin jacket. We visited numerous shops offering such before she found what she was looking for at a good price. Another day, she wanted to return to the same shop to buy another one for her sister. With no map, I was proud of myself for finding the same place again.
West Jerusalem is a modern city where we visited Hebrew University, the Knesset and Yad Vashem among other places.
From Jerusalem, we took a bus north and stayed at a kibutz for a couple of days. Then on to Haifa, a beautiful city, similar to San Francisco. I remember falling ill and staying in bed one whole day while Bonita took a bus to a nearby Arab market. And then on to Netanya, a beach community on the Mediterranean where we just relaxed.
After returning to Tel Aviv, we flew to London with a stopover at the Athens Airport. We enjoyed the British capital for a number of reasons, including the locals spoke English. The breakfasts in our hotel were like what we were used at home. We saw the usual tourist attractions, the Tower of London, the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park. We went to a play one night.
Finally, we took a boat ride across the English Channel to Amsterdam and our KLM flight back to New York. It was my last trip to Europe before this year's visit to Portugal.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Battle of Saratoga
The British plan of 1777 to end the colonial rebellion was to crush resistance in the colony of New York and thus separate the New England agitators from their southern collaborators. The plan was devised by Major General John Burgoyne and approved in London by Lord George Germaine and King George III. Three British armies would meet at Albany (the capital) after travelling long distances and defeating the rebels along their way.
Burgoyne "was to lead an army from St. John's, up Lake Champlain, across to the upper Hudson River and then down to Albany." Sir Henry Clinton led a second army north from New York City. Finally, Colonel Barry St. Leger took a third force from Fort Oswego on Lake Ontario "eastward across the Mohawk Valley to capture the strategically important Fort Stanwick" before joining the others.
Clinton met no resistance on his way north. St. Leger's mission ended in failure and he was forced to withdraw to Quebec. What happened to Burgoyne changed the history of North America.
On October 7, 1777, near Saratoga, New York, British and American (rebel) forces met in combat. Second in command that day for the Americans was General Benedict Arnold.
Arnold started the day at his side's headquarters. Feeling frustrated, he mounted a horse and rode out into the fray. Personally leading the American attack, Arnold's forces defeated the enemy. Ten days later, his British army surrounded, Burgoyne surrendered.
Arnold suffered a broken leg during the battle and was laid up for five months. In 1780, he was placed in charge of West Point by General George Washington. Burgoyne returned to England and was never given another command.
"Once news of Burgoyne's surrender (at the Battle of Saratoga) reached France, King Louis XVI decided to (enter into) a formal Franco-American Alliance and French entry into the war. (As a result) Britain was forced to divert resources from North America to (military) theaters in the West Indies and Europe."
"France found an opportunity to undercut British power. After the Battle of Saratoga, which was conclusively won by the Americans, France realized that (the rebels) had the hope of winning the war and began fully aiding (their cause) by sending soldiers, military arms and supplies."
Almost exactly four years after the Battle of Saratoga (in 1781), American and French forces defeated the British at Yorktown, Virginia, and in so doing brought an end to the war. In 1783, the British gave up and by treaty granted the Americans what they wanted, independence.
However, all was not lost for the British. They still had Quebec, or what would become known as Canada.
Burgoyne "was to lead an army from St. John's, up Lake Champlain, across to the upper Hudson River and then down to Albany." Sir Henry Clinton led a second army north from New York City. Finally, Colonel Barry St. Leger took a third force from Fort Oswego on Lake Ontario "eastward across the Mohawk Valley to capture the strategically important Fort Stanwick" before joining the others.
Clinton met no resistance on his way north. St. Leger's mission ended in failure and he was forced to withdraw to Quebec. What happened to Burgoyne changed the history of North America.
On October 7, 1777, near Saratoga, New York, British and American (rebel) forces met in combat. Second in command that day for the Americans was General Benedict Arnold.
Arnold started the day at his side's headquarters. Feeling frustrated, he mounted a horse and rode out into the fray. Personally leading the American attack, Arnold's forces defeated the enemy. Ten days later, his British army surrounded, Burgoyne surrendered.
Arnold suffered a broken leg during the battle and was laid up for five months. In 1780, he was placed in charge of West Point by General George Washington. Burgoyne returned to England and was never given another command.
"Once news of Burgoyne's surrender (at the Battle of Saratoga) reached France, King Louis XVI decided to (enter into) a formal Franco-American Alliance and French entry into the war. (As a result) Britain was forced to divert resources from North America to (military) theaters in the West Indies and Europe."
"France found an opportunity to undercut British power. After the Battle of Saratoga, which was conclusively won by the Americans, France realized that (the rebels) had the hope of winning the war and began fully aiding (their cause) by sending soldiers, military arms and supplies."
Almost exactly four years after the Battle of Saratoga (in 1781), American and French forces defeated the British at Yorktown, Virginia, and in so doing brought an end to the war. In 1783, the British gave up and by treaty granted the Americans what they wanted, independence.
However, all was not lost for the British. They still had Quebec, or what would become known as Canada.
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Blackboard Jungle
Blackboard Jungle is a 1955 social commentary film, written and directed by Richard Brooks. It stars Glenn Ford, Anne Francis, Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow. It was nominated for (but did not win) four Academy Awards, including Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Art Direction-Set Direction, Black-and-White and Best Film Editing.
The film opens and closes with the rousing rock and roll classic, Rock Around the Clock, written by Max C. Freedman and Jimmy DeKnight. It is performed by Bill Haley & His Comets. "One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock..." Because of this song, the film garnered a large teenage audience and "their exuberant response to it sometimes overflowed into violence and vandalism at screenings."
Blackboard Jungle concerns conflicts between teachers and students at an inner city, all-boys, trade high school. It contains many adult themes such as juvenile delinquency, sexual assault, infidelity, and racism. In spite of the above, my brothers took me to see the film at the Oswego Theater when I was only ten years-old.
Mr. Dadier (Ford), a new English teacher, passionately wants to teach. However, he can only find a job at a school where the students don't seem to want to learn anything from him. Mr. Dadier tries to cultivate a relationship with a student named Miller (Poitier) whom he believes could be a positive leader in the classroom. He is rebuffed.
Another student named West (Morrow) attempts to cause trouble for Mr. Dadier by writing and telephoning his pregnant wife (Francis), falsely suggesting her husband is with another woman. West and his gang assault Mr. Dadier and another teacher in an alley one day after school.
After finally making a connection (using video) with Miller and the majority of his students, Mr. Dadier has a final confrontation with a knife wielding West in his classroom.
Forty-five years after I first saw this film, I experienced my own Blackboard Jungle when I took a job as a World History teacher in an alternative high school in Brooklyn. I didn't have the same courage as Mr. Dadier and left after a month.
The film opens and closes with the rousing rock and roll classic, Rock Around the Clock, written by Max C. Freedman and Jimmy DeKnight. It is performed by Bill Haley & His Comets. "One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock..." Because of this song, the film garnered a large teenage audience and "their exuberant response to it sometimes overflowed into violence and vandalism at screenings."
Blackboard Jungle concerns conflicts between teachers and students at an inner city, all-boys, trade high school. It contains many adult themes such as juvenile delinquency, sexual assault, infidelity, and racism. In spite of the above, my brothers took me to see the film at the Oswego Theater when I was only ten years-old.
Mr. Dadier (Ford), a new English teacher, passionately wants to teach. However, he can only find a job at a school where the students don't seem to want to learn anything from him. Mr. Dadier tries to cultivate a relationship with a student named Miller (Poitier) whom he believes could be a positive leader in the classroom. He is rebuffed.
Another student named West (Morrow) attempts to cause trouble for Mr. Dadier by writing and telephoning his pregnant wife (Francis), falsely suggesting her husband is with another woman. West and his gang assault Mr. Dadier and another teacher in an alley one day after school.
After finally making a connection (using video) with Miller and the majority of his students, Mr. Dadier has a final confrontation with a knife wielding West in his classroom.
Forty-five years after I first saw this film, I experienced my own Blackboard Jungle when I took a job as a World History teacher in an alternative high school in Brooklyn. I didn't have the same courage as Mr. Dadier and left after a month.
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