As Donald Trump leaves everyone guessing about his intentions to bomb Iran or not, I spent part of this week watching a film released just weeks before Nazi Germany surrendered to Allied forces May 8, 1945.
“Hotel Berlin” is set inside a grand facade where hundreds are desperate to flee bombings and the inevitable collapse of the Third Reich. Everyone means German soldiers, including generals, and Nazi Party loyalists who want to plant the seed of Nazi resurrection in the New World. Only members of the underground are resolved to stay and pick up the pieces of their fallen country.
As Allied bombers drop their lethal, devastating loads on Germany at the conclusion of the movie, a joint statement by Winston S. Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Josef Stalin appears on the screen. As you read it below, substitute in your mind “Iran” for every mention of Germany, and imagine, if possible, that Trump has the intelligence to utter similar sentiments:
“Our purpose is not to destroy the German people — but we are determined to disband all German armed forces — to break up the German General Staff — eliminate all German industry used for military production — bring all war criminals to justice and swift punishment —wipe out the Nazi Party and Nazi laws from the life of the German people — Germany must never again disturb the peace of the world.”
(“Hotel Berlin” was broadcast on Turner Classic Movies. If you have the TCM app you can view the movie.)
