Michael Beschloss : The Conquerors

The video features Michael Beschloss discussing his book on WWII, focusing on Roosevelt's decisions during the war, particularly regarding the Holocaust and the proposal to bomb Auschwitz. It also covers Henry Morgenthau's post-war vision for Germany and Truman's contrasting approach. The discussion draws parallels between WWII strategies and the Iraq War, emphasizing the importance of building democracies post-conflict.

What was one of the main challenges Michael Beschloss faced while writing his book?

• Lack of interest from publishers

• Insufficient funding for research

• Difficulty in accessing historical documents

• Opposition from political figures

Why did Roosevelt refrain from publicly addressing the Holocaust during WWII?

• He was advised by his military generals to remain silent

• He was unaware of the extent of the Holocaust

• He was focused on economic recovery

• He believed it was unpatriotic to focus on ethnic issues during the war

What was Roosevelt's response to the proposal of bombing Auschwitz?

• He was concerned about the potential loss of life

• He delegated the decision to his generals

• He was unaware of the proposal

• He immediately approved the plan

How did the author's research alter his view of Roosevelt?

• He found Roosevelt to be more strategic than previously thought

• He discovered Roosevelt was unaware of the Holocaust

• He realized Roosevelt made many ad hoc decisions

• He concluded Roosevelt was solely focused on economic issues

What was the main goal of the Morgenthau Plan?

• To establish a monarchy in Germany

• To promote German cultural heritage

• To ensure Germany could never wage war again

• To industrialize Germany

How did Truman's approach to post-war Germany differ from Roosevelt's?

• Truman planned to divide Germany into smaller states

• Truman sought to isolate Germany from Europe

• Truman aimed to build democratic institutions in Germany

• Truman wanted to strengthen Germany's military

What parallel is drawn between post-war Germany and Iraq?

• Both required immediate military withdrawal

• Both involved efforts to establish democracy

• Both were left to rebuild independently

• Both were economically supported by the Soviet Union