[MSN] Canada. Vets demand changes to museum display. Former pilots dispute assessment of efforts in Second World War.

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Monday > November 27 > 2006 
  
Vets demand changes to museum display
Former pilots dispute assessment of efforts in Second World War
  
Sarah McGinnis 
The Calgary Herald 


Sunday, November 26, 2006


CALGARY - Calgary air force veterans are leading a national outcry against
the Canadian War Museum for what they say is an offensive and inaccurate
description of their role in the Second World War.

But the director of research for the Ottawa museum says the display panel is
a fair portrayal of Canada's involvement in the bombing raids over Germany.

Art Smith, a former Calgary alderman, member of the Alberta legislature and
member of Parliament, is lobbying the government to order the removal of a
display in the museum's air force section that he says insinuates that
strategic bombing raids didn't make a difference in the war.

"As a former air force pilot, I am deeply offended and have to do something
for the tens of thousands of airmen who never came home," Mr. Smith said.

The panel reads: "The value and morality of the strategic bombing offensive
against Germany remains contested. Bombers' command aim was to crush
civilian morale and force Germany to surrender by destroying its cities and
industrial installations. Although bomber command and the American attacks
left 600,000 Germans dead and more than five million homeless, the raids
resulted in only a small reduction in German war production until late in
the war."

Mr. Smith has sent letters to Alberta MPs asking them to put forward a
private member's bill on the issue if the museum won't make the change.

John Melbourne, vice-president of the Air Force Association of Canada, is
outraged by the description, especially the last line. He joined the air
force in the 1950s and spent much of his military career flying alongside
Second World War veterans.

"It hurts them so much. It's an emotional thing to them," Mr. Melbourne
said. "First they accuse them of killing innocent people, which they didn't
want to do, and then say they weren't effective."

Beyond feeling wounded by the display, Mr. Smith said the panel is
inaccurate.

"Our targets were not cities, they were military objectives ... such as
busting dams or (hitting) munitions factories," said Mr. Smith, who was
awarded the distinguished Flying Cross after flying 34 missions during the
war. "The only exception in my 34 tours was Berlin, which we were sent out
to do as best we could to destroy it because we were getting the same in
Britain."

Dean Oliver, director of research and exhibits at the Canadian War Museum,
said he's received complaints from veterans about the panel and officials
have worked with veterans for months to make necessary changes.

But when put in the context of the whole display, which charts the overall
contribution of the air force to the war effort -- including the heroism of
many pilots who were killed during missions -- Mr. Oliver said the panel is
accurate.

Many changes have been made at the behest of veterans, but Mr. Oliver does
not anticipate any further alterations to the display.

The Royal Canadian Legion and other groups have banned donations to the
museum until the matter is settled, said Mr. Melbourne.


http://www.canada.com/