Opposition grows to Stalin bust at D-Day Memorial

allesennogwat · 06-21-2010, 09:12 PM

Opponents of the recently installed bust of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va., are not backing down and have started a worldwide petition.

The petition, which was started last week, calls on the officers and board of directors at the National D-Day Memorial Foundation to remove the bust. It had received 616 confirmed signatures as of Monday afternoon, with confirmation pending on more than 200 other signatures.

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, with assistance from the Joint Baltic American National Committee, intends to marshal public opinion against the board's decision, said Karl Altau, the committee's managing director. Mr. Altau said that while no goal has been specified, 10,000 signatures would be "terrific."

"A nice, big, round number would be great," he said.

As of Monday, the total number of signatures, confirmed and unconfirmed, numbered 864 from 45 states and 20 countries.

Mr. Altau said he has seen a strong response, especially from the countries hardest hit by Stalin's dictatorship, such as Hungary, Poland and such former Soviet republics as Estonia, Latvia and Georgia. Three days before the petition's launch, about two dozen demonstrators expressed their displeasure at the monument with the Stalin bust.

Bedford lost the most men per capita of any U.S. community during World War II. The town's National Guard unit was in the front of the first wave of the D-Day attack on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, and 21 Bedford men were killed — about two-thirds of the men the town of 3,200 people sent overseas to fight the war.

Stalin is infamous for his dictatorial oppression of the Soviet Union in the 1930s and 1940s, which led to the deaths of at least 20 million people, leaving many at a loss for why the dictator should be honored in Bedford.

"It hits very close to home for a lot of people," Mr. Altau said.

Jim Morrison, a member of the Bedford post of the American Legion, said he wrote a letter to the then-president of the memorial, William McIntosh, outlining 13 reasons not to install the bust. Mr. McIntosh did not respond to the letter, Mr. Morrison said. As a result of the bust's installation, Mr. Morrison suspended his financial support to the foundation and ceased volunteering there.

Mr. Morrison urged the public to write Mr. McIntosh, newspapers and representatives in Congress to remove the bust.

"We're committed to sticking with this in the long run," Mr. Morrison said.

Mr. McIntosh, who recently retired from his position as president of the D-Day Memorial Foundation, was unavailable for comment. Robin Reed will take his place June 28.

"I think that they're just sticking to their guns right now," Mr. Altau said. "They're waiting for this to kind of pass by."

Opponents of the bust have also harnessed social media and other outlets to express their frustration, with several online polls indicating strong opposition to the bust's existence. The Facebook page "Josef Stalin must not be honored at the National D-Day Memorial" had 2,550 members as of Monday.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...yet-to-stalin/

the eXiLe · 06-22-2010, 04:00 AM

Anyone read 'Bedford Boys'...it's pretty harrowing stuff.

Coach · 06-22-2010, 09:03 AM

Which beach did the rooskies land on?

Kaleb · 06-22-2010, 09:19 AM

I hate communism with a passion, but you do realize that had Germany NOT been fighting the Red Army on the eastern front; Their unified forces would have kicked the living shit out of the US. It was a hard fought war as it was. I despise all things Nazi also so I really hate to play devils advocate but the truth is, If you're proud that the Nazi party was destroyed then some credit goes to the Russians. They made Germany pay dearly in the cold as hell Russian winters.

Coach · 06-22-2010, 09:25 AM

Can't concur, Kaleb. Had the reds sat out the war, we still woulda beat the nazis. Woulda took longer, but we woulda beat 'em. Now, had the nazis and the rooskies teamed up, that might have been a different story. RAF and the 8th Air Force were bombing nazi industry back to the Stone Age. They simply couldn't replace the materiel they were losing.
In any event, the russians DID NOT land in Normandy. I see no need to put Stalin in the D-Day memorial.

Kaleb · 06-22-2010, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach

Can't concur, Kaleb. Had the reds sat out the war, we still woulda beat the nazis. Woulda took longer, but we woulda beat 'em. Now, had the nazis and the rooskies teamed up, that might have been a different story. RAF and the 8th Air Force were bombing nazi industry back to the Stone Age. They simply couldn't replace the materiel they were losing.
In any event, the russians DID NOT land in Normandy. I see no need to put Stalin in the D-Day memorial.

Maybe you're right. Maybe not. Thank God we didn't have to find out.

As far as the Dday memorial, you're absolutely right. They weren't there. I suppose that would be like putting Patton's bust at stalingrad.

drjarhead · 06-22-2010, 09:43 AM

Just a sort of vulgar attempt at revisionist history.

Why would this country put the bust up of one of the world's worst dicators at a site that represents the fight for freedom?

It is a slap in the face to every man that fought.

And that is the real intent.
That and to glorify communism. Something the current govt and millions of domestic enemies espouse.

Just one more example:

Fight or die

allesennogwat · 06-22-2010, 10:10 AM

The Last of the Bedford Boys

the Sad Sad Story of Company A, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Division

http://www.combat.ws/S3/BAKISSUE/CMBT05N1/BEDFORD.HTM

1970 Dodge · 06-23-2010, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaleb

I hate communism with a passion, but you do realize that had Germany NOT been fighting the Red Army on the eastern front; Their unified forces would have kicked the living shit out of the US. It was a hard fought war as it was. I despise all things Nazi also so I really hate to play devils advocate but the truth is, If you're proud that the Nazi party was destroyed then some credit goes to the Russians. They made Germany pay dearly in the cold as hell Russian winters.

True but at the same time our forces along with the British were also damn near split because of the whole Pacific Theater thing, just sayin'

mbkrifleman · 06-24-2010, 01:33 AM

Do those sobs have a statue of Patton in Stalingrad?

uzitiger · 06-26-2010, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drjarhead

Just a sort of vulgar attempt at revisionist history.

Why would this country put the bust up of one of the world's worst dictators at a site that represents the fight for freedom?

It is a slap in the face to every man that fought.

And that is the real intent.
That and to glorify communism. Something the current govt and millions of domestic enemies espouse.

Just one more example:

Fight or die

To honor Stalin is an insult to the brave men who landed on the beaches in Normandy. Stalin thought that Hitler was his friend and allowed him to use Russian soil to train his panzers and Luftwaffe in the late 30s. The Nazi spies got Stalin to execute many of his generals before they invaded the Soviet Union. Stalin's reaction was that his friend Hitler wouldn't do that to him.

Stalin and Hitler both murdered millions of innocent people with their socialist dictatorships. May they both burn in gehenom (hell).

drjarhead · 06-26-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uzitiger

To honor Stalin is an insult to the brave men who landed on the beaches in Normandy. Stalin thought that Hitler was his friend and allowed him to use Russian soil to train his panzers and Luftwaffe in the late 30s. The Nazi spies got Stalin to execute many of his generals before they invaded the Soviet Union. Stalin's reaction was that his friend Hitler wouldn't do that to him.

Stalin and Hitler both murdered millions of innocent people with their socialist dictatorships. May they both burn in gehenom (hell).

Have to make him look good prior to instituting our own 5 Year Plan.

the eXiLe · 06-28-2010, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drjarhead

Just a sort of vulgar attempt at revisionist history.

Exactly Doc, exactly....that's just what it is.

06-21-2010, 09:12 PM	#1
allesennogwat Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 3738 Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 32,441	Opposition grows to Stalin bust at D-Day Memorial Opponents of the recently installed bust of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va., are not backing down and have started a worldwide petition. The petition, which was started last week, calls on the officers and board of directors at the National D-Day Memorial Foundation to remove the bust. It had received 616 confirmed signatures as of Monday afternoon, with confirmation pending on more than 200 other signatures. The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, with assistance from the Joint Baltic American National Committee, intends to marshal public opinion against the board's decision, said Karl Altau, the committee's managing director. Mr. Altau said that while no goal has been specified, 10,000 signatures would be "terrific." "A nice, big, round number would be great," he said. As of Monday, the total number of signatures, confirmed and unconfirmed, numbered 864 from 45 states and 20 countries. Mr. Altau said he has seen a strong response, especially from the countries hardest hit by Stalin's dictatorship, such as Hungary, Poland and such former Soviet republics as Estonia, Latvia and Georgia. Three days before the petition's launch, about two dozen demonstrators expressed their displeasure at the monument with the Stalin bust. Bedford lost the most men per capita of any U.S. community during World War II. The town's National Guard unit was in the front of the first wave of the D-Day attack on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, and 21 Bedford men were killed — about two-thirds of the men the town of 3,200 people sent overseas to fight the war. Stalin is infamous for his dictatorial oppression of the Soviet Union in the 1930s and 1940s, which led to the deaths of at least 20 million people, leaving many at a loss for why the dictator should be honored in Bedford. "It hits very close to home for a lot of people," Mr. Altau said. Jim Morrison, a member of the Bedford post of the American Legion, said he wrote a letter to the then-president of the memorial, William McIntosh, outlining 13 reasons not to install the bust. Mr. McIntosh did not respond to the letter, Mr. Morrison said. As a result of the bust's installation, Mr. Morrison suspended his financial support to the foundation and ceased volunteering there. Mr. Morrison urged the public to write Mr. McIntosh, newspapers and representatives in Congress to remove the bust. "We're committed to sticking with this in the long run," Mr. Morrison said. Mr. McIntosh, who recently retired from his position as president of the D-Day Memorial Foundation, was unavailable for comment. Robin Reed will take his place June 28. "I think that they're just sticking to their guns right now," Mr. Altau said. "They're waiting for this to kind of pass by." Opponents of the bust have also harnessed social media and other outlets to express their frustration, with several online polls indicating strong opposition to the bust's existence. The Facebook page "Josef Stalin must not be honored at the National D-Day Memorial" had 2,550 members as of Monday. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...yet-to-stalin/ __________________ Daraclor: A brand of anti-malaria pills which we had to drink every week while on the border. Legend had it that these would make you turn yellow and that you wouldn't be able to tan.

06-22-2010, 04:00 AM	#2
the eXiLe Curio & Relic Contributor AKaholic #: 5154 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Over The Rainbow Posts: 6,925	Anyone read 'Bedford Boys'...it's pretty harrowing stuff. __________________ I love talking about nothing, it is the only thing I know anything about.

06-22-2010, 09:03 AM	#3
Coach Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 29096 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,926	Which beach did the rooskies land on? __________________ "Look what I’m dealing with, man. I’m dealing with fools and trolls." - Charlie Sheen "Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." - The Last Words of Pancho Villa

06-22-2010, 09:25 AM	#5
Coach Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 29096 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 2,926	Can't concur, Kaleb. Had the reds sat out the war, we still woulda beat the nazis. Woulda took longer, but we woulda beat 'em. Now, had the nazis and the rooskies teamed up, that might have been a different story. RAF and the 8th Air Force were bombing nazi industry back to the Stone Age. They simply couldn't replace the materiel they were losing. In any event, the russians DID NOT land in Normandy. I see no need to put Stalin in the D-Day memorial. __________________ "Look what I’m dealing with, man. I’m dealing with fools and trolls." - Charlie Sheen "Don't let it end like this. Tell them I said something." - The Last Words of Pancho Villa

06-22-2010, 09:43 AM	#7
drjarhead Mad Doctor AKaholic #: 5952 Join Date: May 2006 Location: on a lake in the forest Posts: 27,062	Just a sort of vulgar attempt at revisionist history. Why would this country put the bust up of one of the world's worst dicators at a site that represents the fight for freedom? It is a slap in the face to every man that fought. And that is the real intent. That and to glorify communism. Something the current govt and millions of domestic enemies espouse. Just one more example: Fight or die __________________ Fight or Die

06-22-2010, 09:19 AM	#4
Kaleb Veteran Member AKaholic #: 74562 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: US Posts: 1,626	I hate communism with a passion, but you do realize that had Germany NOT been fighting the Red Army on the eastern front; Their unified forces would have kicked the living shit out of the US. It was a hard fought war as it was. I despise all things Nazi also so I really hate to play devils advocate but the truth is, If you're proud that the Nazi party was destroyed then some credit goes to the Russians. They made Germany pay dearly in the cold as hell Russian winters.

06-22-2010, 10:10 AM	#8
allesennogwat Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 3738 Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 32,441	The Last of the Bedford Boys the Sad Sad Story of Company A, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Division http://www.combat.ws/S3/BAKISSUE/CMBT05N1/BEDFORD.HTM __________________ Daraclor: A brand of anti-malaria pills which we had to drink every week while on the border. Legend had it that these would make you turn yellow and that you wouldn't be able to tan.

06-24-2010, 01:33 AM	#10
mbkrifleman Veteran Member AKaholic #: 60076 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Levelland, Texas Posts: 1,002	Do those sobs have a statue of Patton in Stalingrad?

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