According to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there were 167,000 World War II veterans still alive as of September 2022 out of the 16 million Americans who served from 1941 to 1945. That number is estimated to drop to over 100,000 by this fall, and down to just 1,500 by 2033.
The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany estimates there are just 50,000 Holocaust survivors still alive in the U.S.
Last week, Governor Mike DeWine wrote an op-ed in The Columbus Dispatch about the importance of preserving survivors and World War II veterans stories. He wrote about his father's service in the army, and what he saw at the Dachau concentration camp just days after it had been liberated, including the ovens the Nazis used to burn the bodies of many prisoners.
In the article, he also references the modern day resurgence of Nazi beliefs, writing about protesters claiming to be with the neo-Nazi group called the "Blood Tribe" gathered outside a Columbus brewery that was hosting a drag brunch fundraiser for an LGBTQ+ youth center last month.
There has also been record antisemitic incidents in the state according to the Anti-Defamation League's annual report, many of which are perpetrated by neo-Nazi or white supremacist groups.
DeWine learned firsthand about fighting intolerance from his father, and many of us learned about the Holocaust from survivors or veterans in our lives, but what happens when those firsthand accounts are all gone?
On Tuesday's "Sound of Ideas," ahead of Memorial Day, we're going to talk about the importance of sharing World War II history, and educating future generations.
Later in this hour, we'll continue learning about World War II by hearing host Rick Jackson's conversation with NPR editor Steve Drummond about his new book, "The Watchdog: How the Truman Committee Battled Corruption and Helped Win World War II."
Guests:
-Eric Rivet, Curator of Collections & Exhibits, Western Reserve Historical Society
-Dahlia Fisher, Director of External Relations, Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage
-Steve Drummond, Editor, NPR & Author, "The Watchdog: How the Truman Committee Battled Corruption and Helped Win World War II"
