As a child, Katsumoto Saotome barely escaped the air raids over Tokyo that killed as many as 100,000 people. He has spent much of his life fighting to honor the memories of others who survived.
Tag: World War II (1939-45)
‘We Hated What We Were Doing’: Veterans Recall Firebombing Japan
American airmen who took part in the 1945 firebombing missions grapple with the particular horror they witnessed being inflicted on those below.
Alexei Botyan, Soviet Spy Hailed as ‘Hero,’ Dies at 103
The Russians say he saved the Polish city of Krakow from being destroyed by the Nazis, but historians say that is a fiction of the Putin era.
Nexhmije Hoxha, ‘Lady Macbeth’ of Albania, Dies at 99
A political partner with her Communist dictator husband, they isolated their small Balkan nation, executed dissidents and drove the economy to collapse.
A German Mine Hit and the Ship Split in Half
We were returning to our home port in Brooklyn when there was a sudden explosion. Everyone on board had to abandon ship.
When Jim Crow Reigned Amid the Rubble of Nazi Germany
Thousands of African-American troops were sent to a defeated Germany to promote democracy, even as they were confined to the social order of Jim Crow.
How Dresden Looked After a World War II Firestorm 75 Years Ago
Germany commemorated 75 years since the Allied bombing devastated the city. But the milestone has taken on new meaning with the rise of the far right.
Paul Farnes, Last R.A.F. Ace of Battle of Britain, Dies at 101
He was one of the last of “The Few,” the Royal Air Force airmen who defended Britain against the powerful Luftwaffe.
At Auschwitz, Holocaust Survivors Plead ‘Never Forget’
Organizers sought to put a spotlight on the stories of survivors, as this may be the last time that such a large number will be able to gather in one place.
Before the Liberation of Auschwitz, a March of Misery
On the roads where thousands of prisoners from Auschwitz were forced to march before the camp was liberated, there are few memorials. Mostly graves.