Comments on: The View from the High Castle: Philip K. Dick and World War II http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Sat, 25 May 2013 19:37:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Larry C http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-861607 Larry C Sun, 03 Feb 2013 16:49:41 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-861607 Politically, you are closer to the truth than most people care to admit. If the Japanese had stayed away from Pearl Harbor and the Philippenses it is unlikely that the USA would have gotten involved. They could have consolidated their gains in SE Asia and it is unlikely that they would have been challenged. In Europe, Hitler made the great error if starting a two front war. Had he listen to his generals, who were very competent, unlike him, the western front would have been consolidated by taking Britain. The British could not have repelled a German landing as they had not the manpower or resources to do so. They needed USA and Canadian help. Once England capitulated, there was nothing anyone in the West could have done to stop Germany from taking control of all Western Europe. Stalin was a coward and it is unlikely that there would have been a German-Russian war for some time. Once such a war started, if the Germans had treated the Russian people with respect, even temporarily, the Russian would have seen the Germans as liberators and turned against their murderous regime. Yes, history turns on errors – some great some small. Politically, you are closer to the truth than most people care to admit.
If the Japanese had stayed away from Pearl Harbor and the Philippenses it is unlikely that the USA would have gotten involved. They could have consolidated their gains in SE Asia and it is unlikely that they would have been challenged.
In Europe, Hitler made the great error if starting a two front war. Had he listen to his generals, who were very competent, unlike him, the western front would have been consolidated by taking Britain. The British could not have repelled a German landing as they had not the manpower or resources to do so. They needed USA and Canadian help. Once England capitulated, there was nothing anyone in the West could have done to stop Germany from taking control of all Western Europe.
Stalin was a coward and it is unlikely that there would have been a German-Russian war for some time. Once such a war started, if the Germans had treated the Russian people with respect, even temporarily, the Russian would have seen the Germans as liberators and turned against their murderous regime.
Yes, history turns on errors – some great some small.

]]> By: James DeWitt http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-777694 James DeWitt Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:53:45 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-777694 Actually, Orwell was a communist, he was writing on the dangers of socialism run rampant and/or fascism under the disguise of communism and not damning the Soviet Union. Actually, Orwell was a communist, he was writing on the dangers of socialism run rampant and/or fascism under the disguise of communism and not damning the Soviet Union.

]]> By: Wood Gas http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-731958 Wood Gas Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:19:45 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-731958 With all due respect to P.K.D. a simpler and perhaps more likely scenario: Dec 8th 1941 uncle Adolph sends a cable to Roosevelt and the major newspapers " The German people are appalled by the attack made by the subhuman Japanese and hereby declare a cease fire in Europe. The full might of the Third Reich will be mobilized to aid our Aryan brothers in America." With isolationism and racism being very present in the States in those years and the fear and shock of the Pearl Harbor incident, this might have flown. We all know how well Adolph treated his allies and kept his word, so we could very well have ended up more nazi than the Nazi's had we been allies. It was nearer than you might think as it did happen. Not to say we couldn't become fascists still. With all due respect to P.K.D. a simpler and perhaps more likely scenario: Dec 8th 1941 uncle Adolph sends a cable to Roosevelt and the major newspapers

" The German people are appalled by the attack made by the subhuman Japanese and hereby declare a cease fire in Europe. The full might of the Third Reich will be mobilized to aid our Aryan brothers in America."

With isolationism and racism being very present in the States in those years and the fear and shock of the Pearl Harbor incident, this might have flown. We all know how well Adolph treated his allies and kept his word, so we could very well have ended up more nazi than the Nazi's had we been allies. It was nearer than you might think as it did happen. Not to say we couldn't become fascists still.

]]> By: Wild Bill http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-730132 Wild Bill Fri, 02 Sep 2011 23:44:13 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-730132 The disparaging remark about "graphic novels" shows an elitist and biased viewpoint. Graphic novels may be distantly related to monthly superhero comics and the newpaper funnies, but sequential art is just as valid a means of expression as an online blog post. The disparaging remark about "graphic novels" shows an elitist and biased viewpoint. Graphic novels may be distantly related to monthly superhero comics and the newpaper funnies, but sequential art is just as valid a means of expression as an online blog post.

]]> By: michael http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-708484 michael Wed, 24 Aug 2011 05:50:29 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-708484 Thanks for the recommendation. Love SS-GB by Deighton too. Thanks for the recommendation. Love SS-GB by Deighton too.

]]> By: Woody Tanaka http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-707730 Woody Tanaka Tue, 23 Aug 2011 21:54:02 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-707730 Chico, I think the point he was making was that if a bomb fell on your house, you wouldn't feel too liberated, even if you were anti-Germany. Chico,

I think the point he was making was that if a bomb fell on your house, you wouldn't feel too liberated, even if you were anti-Germany.

]]> By: Cap'n http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-707183 Cap'n Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:39:50 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-707183 Rob's initial thesis here is about the tentative nature of historical narratives - or interpretation of known historical facts. One of Dick's main themes in 'The Man in the High Castle' is the relative nature of the importance of historical events and the 'historicity' those events impart. Students of history who fail to consider the various levels of context and perspective will remain hidebound to 'popular' interpretations and generally be incapable of critical analysis. As is seen here, there will always be those who are uneasy with the notion of challenging the ideas that support a narrative they favor - even if those ideas are ultimately supported. The "lessons we should have learned" are hardly useful at all if they are based on incomplete or antiquated information or simplistic notions of events as one or another author chooses to present them. As Michael Howard says, history must be studied in width, depth, and context - Dick, and Dr. Citino, remind us that we need to continually assess our understanding of all three of these aspects. I look forward to the next installment. Rob's initial thesis here is about the tentative nature of historical narratives – or interpretation of known historical facts. One of Dick's main themes in 'The Man in the High Castle' is the relative nature of the importance of historical events and the 'historicity' those events impart. Students of history who fail to consider the various levels of context and perspective will remain hidebound to 'popular' interpretations and generally be incapable of critical analysis. As is seen here, there will always be those who are uneasy with the notion of challenging the ideas that support a narrative they favor – even if those ideas are ultimately supported. The "lessons we should have learned" are hardly useful at all if they are based on incomplete or antiquated information or simplistic notions of events as one or another author chooses to present them. As Michael Howard says, history must be studied in width, depth, and context – Dick, and Dr. Citino, remind us that we need to continually assess our understanding of all three of these aspects. I look forward to the next installment.

]]> By: Shane Browne http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-707095 Shane Browne Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:45:29 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-707095 To be honest in response to the quote about France I think he was just making a point that to many French people the cost of liberation was high. Especially the French citizens living in Normandy... more civilians died in bombing raids on Caen than German soldiers. It's just ironic when he says "Allied bombers flying over occupied France were 'liberating' it", considering how many had to die in the process! I don't think he meant that as a whole the French were not glad to be rid of the Nazi's. It was just a high price to pay, not just from Allied bombing but also through mistreatment and reprisals by the Nazi occupiers. To be honest in response to the quote about France I think he was just making a point that to many French people the cost of liberation was high. Especially the French citizens living in Normandy… more civilians died in bombing raids on Caen than German soldiers.

It's just ironic when he says "Allied bombers flying over occupied France were 'liberating' it", considering how many had to die in the process!

I don't think he meant that as a whole the French were not glad to be rid of the Nazi's. It was just a high price to pay, not just from Allied bombing but also through mistreatment and reprisals by the Nazi occupiers.

]]> By: WE Martin http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-705912 WE Martin Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:55:03 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-705912 I grewup during the depression and WW2 and watched my father,uncles, and cousins march off to an unknown fate. They grewup as patriotic citizens and did so voluntarily. The result they achieved was spectacular even with all the warts that have been exposed in hindsight. Therefore, I feel all these"what if" scenarios presented by wantabe historians and others detract from the lessons we should have learned from the war experience which we should be passing on to future generations with clarity. I grewup during the depression and WW2 and watched my father,uncles, and cousins march off to an unknown fate. They grewup as patriotic citizens and did so voluntarily. The result they achieved was spectacular even with all the warts that have been exposed in hindsight. Therefore, I feel all these"what if" scenarios presented by wantabe historians and others detract from the lessons we should have learned from the war experience which we should be passing on to future generations with clarity.

]]> By: Mark Higbee http://www.historynet.com/the-view-from-the-high-castle-philip-k-dick-and-world-war-ii.htm#comment-705861 Mark Higbee Mon, 22 Aug 2011 22:11:51 +0000 http://www.historynet.com/?p=13684068#comment-705861 Great introduction to Dick's great book, Professor Citino! History, like so much in life, depends on what vantage point you have. A Frenchman whose wife and children were killed by Allied bombers may well not have regarded that bombing as part of his "liberation," and strategic bombing does have civilian losses. What's the next best Dick novel to read, for an aspiring "Dickhead"? The war, and nearly all of history, didn't have to turn out as it did: that may be the most crucial lesson to gain from Dick's novel. History isn't the march of inevitability that some see it as. Great introduction to Dick's great book, Professor Citino! History, like so much in life, depends on what vantage point you have. A Frenchman whose wife and children were killed by Allied bombers may well not have regarded that bombing as part of his "liberation," and strategic bombing does have civilian losses.

What's the next best Dick novel to read, for an aspiring "Dickhead"?

The war, and nearly all of history, didn't have to turn out as it did: that may be the most crucial lesson to gain from Dick's novel. History isn't the march of inevitability that some see it as.

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