Hardcore HistoryFebruary 12, 2000

Show 42 Blitz Logical Insanity

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Audio URL: https://podcastmentions.local/hardcorehistory/2000-02-12_show-42-blitz-logical-insanity.mp3

Book mentions

13 book mentions in this episode.

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Books Mentioned

Bombs, Cities, and Civilians

Conrad Crane

“The book discusses the impact of bombings during World War II, detailing the devastation caused by fire raids and the atomic bombings in Japan.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: atomic bomb justification

For: Historians and students of military ethics

Key quote: “The selected zone of attack covered six important industrial targets and numerous smaller factories, railroad yards, home industries, and cable plants.”

The host discusses the moral implications of using atomic bombs during World War II, referencing the book to highlight the devastating impact of fire raids on Japanese cities. This context is crucial for understanding the rationale behind the bombings and the perception of collateral damage at the time.

ASIN: 0700605746

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Clipper in the Clouds

Jules Verne

“Jules Verne treats them like clipper ships and the captain can stroll out you know open up the window and step outside onto the bow of his giant Zeppelin.”

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: science fiction and warfare

For: Readers interested in the history of science fiction and military technology.

Key quote: “I think the book is called Clipper in the clouds.”

The host mentions 'Clipper in the Clouds' by Jules Verne to illustrate early science fiction's exploration of aerial warfare. This book reflects the anxieties and imaginations surrounding new military technologies during the 19th century.

ASIN: B09BG67TFC

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The War in the Air

H.G. Wells

“Wells writes a book called The War in the Air, and it's similar to other books being written at the time that theorize these giant Zeppelin fleets.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: science fiction and warfare

For: Readers interested in military history and science fiction

Key quote: “In H.G. Wells' book, The German air fleet flies across the Atlantic secretly, you know, before war is declared in a Pearl Harbor style attack and bombs New York.”

The host discusses the historical context of air warfare and how early science fiction writers like H.G. Wells envisioned its potential. 'The War in the Air' is highlighted as a significant work that predicted the use of airships in warfare, particularly the bombing of cities, which sparked concerns about future military conflicts.

ASIN: N/A

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The Command of the Air

Giulio Douhet

“Duet writes in his book, the command of the air, about the impact of aerial offensives upon morale and the conduct of war.”

Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: aerial warfare strategy

For: Military strategists and historians

Key quote: “He says a complete breakdown of the social structure cannot but take place in a country subjected to this kind of merciless pounding from the air.”

The host discusses Giulio Douhet's controversial ideas on aerial warfare as presented in his book 'The Command of the Air.' Douhet advocates for targeting civilian populations to demoralize the enemy, reflecting a significant shift in warfare philosophy post-World War I.

ASIN: N/A

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The Laws of War

Tammy Davis Biddle

“In the book, The Laws of War, historian Tammy Davis Biddle goes and quotes some of the military manuals from right before the Second World War.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: morality of warfare

For: Historians and military ethics scholars

Key quote: “But nothing challenged conventional military morality as much as another piece of technology that was just coming into its own in 1918 when the war abruptly ended, air power.”

The host discusses the evolution of military technology and its impact on the morality of warfare, particularly highlighting the shift brought about by air power. This leads to a mention of 'The Laws of War' to emphasize how these technological advancements challenged established norms and ethics in conflict.

ASIN: N/A

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Herman Canel

“Herman Canel wrote a book trying to wake people up to the horrific nature of this whole idea of bombing people from the air but of course he has a section about bombing Britain first earlier in the war.”

Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: strategic bombing in WWII

For: Historians and those interested in military strategy

Key quote: “What Connell and others are saying is that the whole idea of using bombers to destroy the civilian morale was flawed.”

The host mentions Herman Canel's book to highlight the horrific nature of aerial bombings during World War II, particularly the Blitz on London. Canel's insights serve as a critique of the rationale behind bombing civilians and the miscalculations made by leaders like Hitler.

ASIN: 0989764192

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Freeman Dyson

“There was a quote in one of the books I was reading by a, bomber command physicist, one of these people whose job it was to make the damage worse. And his name was Freeman Dyson.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: strategic bombing morality

For: Individuals interested in military ethics and history

Key quote: “I felt sickened by what I knew.”

The host discusses the moral implications of strategic bombing during wartime, highlighting the psychological and ethical dilemmas faced by those involved. Freeman Dyson's quote serves to illustrate the internal conflict experienced by scientists and military personnel who contributed to the devastation.

ASIN: 9814383414

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Len Dayton

“As British author, Len Dayton wrote about the Germans deciding to switch to night bombing, because it was the only way to keep their bomber force from being destroyed.”

Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: bombing civilian morale

For: Historians and military strategy enthusiasts

Key quote: “I have a book by Len Dayton who was in the RAF who said that it was famous, that they were basically told, look, we didn't crack under the German blitz.”

The host references Len Dayton's insights as a member of the RAF to highlight the flawed strategy of using bombing to break civilian morale. Dayton's perspective emphasizes that the British public's resilience was underestimated, contradicting the belief that bombing would lead to a collapse of morale.

ASIN: N/A

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War

Gwyn Dyer

“Kate Hofmeister was quoted by Gwyn Dyer in his wonderful book, War, discussing her experience during the 1943 Hamburg bombing.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: perspectives on war crimes

For: Individuals interested in military history and moral philosophy

Key quote: “How do you think your views on something horrific, like a war crime, or an atrocity, or depending on the criteria you use, maybe even a crime against humanity?”

The host reflects on the complex moral implications of war crimes, particularly through the lens of personal experience with a family member who served in World War II. This discussion is framed by the historical context of the war and the sacrifices made by individuals like the host's stepfather.

ASIN: N/A

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Horg Friedrich

“Horg Friedrich, in his very interesting book about, from the German perspective of this whole bombing thing, has horrific story after horrific story about all of these things.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: bombing experiences in war

For: Readers interested in historical accounts of war and its impact on civilians.

Key quote: “Horg Friedrich, in his very interesting book about, from the German perspective of this whole bombing thing, has horrific story after horrific story about all of these things.”

The host references Horg Friedrich's book to illustrate the horrific realities faced by civilians during bombing raids. Friedrich's accounts provide a visceral understanding of the chaos and despair experienced by those caught in such situations.

ASIN: B01FOCW4OI

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Conrad Crane's book

“FDR made a statement that's recorded to Henry Morgenthau on the 4th of August, 1941, about defeating Hitler quoted in Conrad Crane's book.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: strategic bombing ethics

For: Historians and military ethics scholars

Key quote: “FDR made a statement that's recorded to Henry Morgenthau on the 4th of August, 1941, about defeating Hitler quoted in Conrad Crane's book, and Roosevelt said, said, quote, well, the way to lick Hitler is the way I've been telling the English, but they won't listen to me.”

The host references Conrad Crane's book to highlight the complexities and moral dilemmas surrounding strategic bombing during World War II. The discussion includes insights from historical figures like FDR and their conflicting views on targeting civilians versus military objectives.

ASIN: B001NXYFY0

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On Killing

David Grossman

“In his wonderful book on killing, Army Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman talks about how distance makes killing possible and how the farther away you are from the target you're killing, the easier it is to do.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: distance in warfare ethics

For: students of military ethics and psychology

Key quote: “Grossman writes about one of these raids that killed 70,000 people from the air in an evening and writes quote, if bomber crew members had had to turn a flamethrower on each one of these 70,000 women and children, or worse yet, slit each one of their throats, the awfulness and trauma inherent in the act would have been of such a magnitude that it simply would not have happened.”

The host discusses the psychological implications of distance in warfare as highlighted in David Grossman's book 'On Killing.' Grossman argues that the physical distance between the killer and the victim makes the act of killing easier and more justifiable, which is a critical point in understanding modern warfare ethics.

ASIN: N/A

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Hell to Pay

“If you go read hell to pay those japanese civilians had a role to play fighting off the american invasion and it was going to be bloody and horrible and glorious if you believe the kamikaze type literature.”

Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: morality of aerial bombardment

For: Historians and students of military ethics

Key quote: “if you go read hell to pay those japanese civilians had a role to play fighting off the american invasion and it was going to be bloody and horrible and glorious if you believe the kamikaze type literature.”

The host mentions 'Hell to Pay' to illustrate the perspective of Japanese civilians during World War II and their perceived role in the conflict. This book provides insight into the brutal realities of warfare and the moral implications of using atomic weapons versus conventional bombing.

ASIN: B0G631NF1Z

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