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BostonUniStudent t1_iy3fase wrote

Reply to comment by Cal__Trask in Howard Zinntennial by josef_k___

It was hard for me at the time to understand why he would regret fighting the Nazis. But I think he just had a natural aversion to civilian deaths.

I don't regret my time serving. I don't think I had to do anything regrettable. I have friends who did though.

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I_Am_U t1_iy4d24c wrote

> It was hard for me at the time to understand why he would regret fighting the Nazis.

In mid-April 1945, the war in Europe was essentially over. Everyone knew it was ending, but Howard Zinn was still ordered to fire bomb the Germans stationed near Royan, France. It was the first use of napalm in warfare actually. His actions wound up burning most of the French men, women, and children in the town to death. This badly traumatized him and likely explains his reluctance to encourage people to fight for the military.

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josef_k___ OP t1_iy4fu32 wrote

"Jellied gasoline" they told the bombardiers it was (napalm, they basically just wanted to test it out)

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