Avi Abelow: Compassion for Gaza… Or Moral Confusion

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1. AI Overview

   +1
   Noël Coward’s 1943 satirical song, “Don’t Let’s Be Beastly to the Germans,” was written to mock a minority of “excessive humanitarians” in Britain who were taking a too-tolerant view of the enemy during World War II. Despite its satirical intent, the song was temporarily banned by the BBC due to public confusion and complaints.
   BBC Broadcast History & Controversy
   The Intent: Coward wrote the song to satirize those who wanted to go easy on Germany after the war.
   The Confusion: Many listeners failed to understand the irony and interpreted the song—which includes lyrics like “Let’s soften their defeat again, And build their bloody fleet again”—as a serious, pro-German plea.
   The Ban: The BBC received numerous complaints and consequently pulled the song from its playlists.
   The “Bloody” Controversy: The song was also notable for using the word “bloody,” which was allegedly heard for the first time on the BBC, further shocking listeners.
   Churchill’s Reaction
   While the public and the BBC struggled with the song, Prime Minister Winston Churchill reportedly loved it, requesting that Coward perform it three times at a private party.

   https://youtu.be/wveW9Tw2JKE?si=JRIpnVX7DaiiAp66

   Though it doesn’t mention the Jews which almost zero allied propaganda did. The only film I know
   that even alludes to the
   persecution of
   the Jews during the war is “This Land is Mine” directed by Jean Renoir, which was released at the same
   time as Casablanca and is a much better film, in my opinion. Charles Laughton, Maureen O’hara, George Sanders, George Coulouris, Una O’Connor, Walter Slezac. One of my favorite films. It’s available to watch streaming on Amazon Prime Video. I found Laughton’s courtroom speech in a volume of best monologues of 1943 or 4 though it was released in ‘42 and 3 and takes place in Vichy France in 1940.

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