"Bread not bombs" is a catchphrase of the peace movement. But it literally came true 72 years ago this week in occupied Holland shortly before Germany capitulated at the end of World War II.
I have just been reading Operation Chowhound by Stephen Dando-Collins, which tells how British Lancaster bombers and American B-17 'Flying Fortresses' turned their bomb-bays into food repositories to make dangerous low-level food drops to the Dutch population within German-held territory - comprising most of the major cities. An embattled Germany had requisitioned supplies and cut off usual food sources partly in retaliation for a transport strike the previous year.
About 20,000 people had died through malnutrition in what the Dutch called the Hongerwinter (Hunger Winter), and many more were on the brink, surviving on tulip bulbs, scavenged food, and what they could sneak in from rural areas.
The drops were made from 29 April to 8 May, under the name Operation Manna by the British, and Operation Chowhound by the Americans. name for the operation, and it is told more fully on Dutch-based site.
According to the Stephen Dando-Collins' account, the offer to allow food drops was first instigated by the SS Governor for the Netherlands Reichskommissar Arthur Seyss-Inquart. Anticipating Germany's demise, he saw it as an opportunity to save his own neck. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't - he was executed along with other Nazi leaders at Nuremberg after the war. But the offer - to allow food drops with a promise not to shoot the planes down - was only taken up due to the lobbying of (German-born) Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, and the forethought of American General Dwight D. Eisenhower who set plans in motion for the drops before formal approval came through from Allied political leaders. And for the first few days, the Allies were operating on a verbal agreement only.
Maaike Steenhoek's family was one that came through the Hunger Winter to witness the food drops - before central Netherlands was liberated on 5 May. Writing on the Canadian blog Wartime Wednesdays, she says, "My mother and uncle talked about this all their lives. The Manna flights remained in their memories as a miracle, a gift of food from the air. Operation Manna brought life when they were looking death in the face."
For many of the aircrew involved, after years of bombing raids bringing death and destruction, it was "the best thing they did in the war".
I share this post as an example of how swords can be turned into ploughshares, and good can shine in the darkness, from the context of our present day where about 795 million people remain hungry and 15 conflicts or wars continue which each cause more than 1000 or more deaths a year (according to Wikipedia sources).
I have just been reading Operation Chowhound by Stephen Dando-Collins, which tells how British Lancaster bombers and American B-17 'Flying Fortresses' turned their bomb-bays into food repositories to make dangerous low-level food drops to the Dutch population within German-held territory - comprising most of the major cities. An embattled Germany had requisitioned supplies and cut off usual food sources partly in retaliation for a transport strike the previous year.
About 20,000 people had died through malnutrition in what the Dutch called the Hongerwinter (Hunger Winter), and many more were on the brink, surviving on tulip bulbs, scavenged food, and what they could sneak in from rural areas.
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| Lancasters over Netherlands (from http://www. via Wartime Wednesdays) |
According to the Stephen Dando-Collins' account, the offer to allow food drops was first instigated by the SS Governor for the Netherlands Reichskommissar Arthur Seyss-Inquart. Anticipating Germany's demise, he saw it as an opportunity to save his own neck. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't - he was executed along with other Nazi leaders at Nuremberg after the war. But the offer - to allow food drops with a promise not to shoot the planes down - was only taken up due to the lobbying of (German-born) Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, and the forethought of American General Dwight D. Eisenhower who set plans in motion for the drops before formal approval came through from Allied political leaders. And for the first few days, the Allies were operating on a verbal agreement only.
Maaike Steenhoek's family was one that came through the Hunger Winter to witness the food drops - before central Netherlands was liberated on 5 May. Writing on the Canadian blog Wartime Wednesdays, she says, "My mother and uncle talked about this all their lives. The Manna flights remained in their memories as a miracle, a gift of food from the air. Operation Manna brought life when they were looking death in the face."
For many of the aircrew involved, after years of bombing raids bringing death and destruction, it was "the best thing they did in the war".
I share this post as an example of how swords can be turned into ploughshares, and good can shine in the darkness, from the context of our present day where about 795 million people remain hungry and 15 conflicts or wars continue which each cause more than 1000 or more deaths a year (according to Wikipedia sources).
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