Today is the sixty-second anniversary of the sinking of the Cap Arcona (and two other ships) by the RAF. Between the four attacks by the RAF, and the fact that the SS mowed down many people trying to get to shore from the sinking vessels, somewhere around 8,000 people died in these attacks. The great majority of these people were prisoners from concentration camps, including thousands of prisoners of war. It's an ugly and brutal tale, and one that should not be forgotten. It should be remembered, examined and understood. However, there's a little problem with that. According to the Wikipedia entry on the disaster the British government has sealed its records on the matter until 2045. Now I understand the need for secrecy in military matters and government affairs - but am I the only person who has considerable doubts about there being a legitimate need to keep these particular records secret for one hundred years? Might this simply be a matter of the British wanting to keep their dirty laundry locked away for generations?
Posted by armand at May 3, 2007 01:00 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Shine the Light on It | War and History