I started writing this story on April 30, 2021.
On April 29, 2004, the World War II Memorial opened in Washington, D.C. to thousands of visitors, providing overdue recognition for the 16 million U.S. men and women who served in the war. The memorial is located on 7.4 acres on the former site of the Rainbow Pool at the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. The Capitol dome is to the east, and Arlington Cemetery is just across the Potomac River to the west. World War II Memorial Opens in D.C. - HISTORY
On April 30, 1945, holed up in a bunker under his headquarters in Berlin, Adolf Hitler commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule and shooting himself in the head. Soon after, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces, ending Hitler’s dreams of a “1,000-year” Reich. Adolf Hitler Commits Suicide - HISTORY
For the past several weeks, I have been obsessed with World War II. I binged on WWII movies. Most of the films are already favorites, but once again, I devoured every detail and shed tears of horror and sorrow as the astonishing bravery of ordinary people unfolded.
My son asked why I was watching “so many war movies.” His question moved me to find the answer. As I thought about what was pressing me so hard, the realization came like a bolt of lightning -- “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Margaret Atwood’s book is a dystopian novel published in 1985. It is set in near-future New England in a patriarchal, totalitarian theocratic state that has overthrown the United States government. The central character and narrator is one of a group of women known as "handmaids" who are forcibly assigned to produce children for the ruling class of men – the Commanders. My paperback copy of the book is faded and worn. Reading it in the late 1980s widened my feminist views to include the far-reaching impact of inequality in all its forms and on all its citizens -- privileged and oppressed. "The Handmaid's Tale" changed my life and politics forever.
I considered the serendipity of “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 4 release, which prompted me to re-watch Seasons 1-3, the two historical events cited above, and my movie-watching obsession. So, here I am at my computer doing what I do when emotions are bubbling up inside, ready to spill out. I write.
This time is different. Past, present, and future collided. They demanded I speak up to share how recent events in our country have brought me to this place of reflection, triggered by a fictional society that demonstrates how fragile democracy is – here and worldwide. Every day our news is filled with stories and commentary highlighting the dire situation in our country. Dangerous, divisive political rhetoric is poisoning our discourse with disinformation, distortion, and lies. A lack of common decency, let alone common sense, is unveiling the worst of America for the world to see.
As I watched the TV series, descriptions of the war to create a new Republic (Gilead) hit me especially hard. When characters discussed the siege of the capital and devastating images of a post-war Washington, D.C. became part of the story, my heart filled with dread. The book’s recounting of events tells the story of a culture even more akin to Nazi Germany than the TV series reflects; however, the graphic images in the television version are no less terrifying.
I realized that the months since the 2020 Presidential election had affected me more deeply than I imagined. I began to understand the dichotomy playing out in my heart and soul: The pride, relief, and optimism I feel when listening to our new President, Vice President, and cabinet members vs. the dark, baseless rantings of the previous administration. Everything I credited to the pandemic – isolation, lethargy, pessimism, depression – also has its roots in our political environment.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” reminded me that no matter how dire the circumstances, citizens will find ways to save their country, their values, and their future. Throughout history, women have been vital in resisting tyranny and its inherent evil.
Over the next several weeks, I will spotlight stories of five women who fought, resisted, and sacrificed for justice, equality, and freedom:
- Alice Paul – American Suffrage Activist
- Sophie Scholl – German WWII Anti-Nazi Activist
- Gloria Steinem - American Feminist, Activist & Journalist
- Malala Yousafza – Pakistani Women's Equality Activist
- Greta Thunberg – Swedish Environmental Activist
Below is the list of movies I watched. It includes one that is set not during WWII but in the throes of the early twentieth-century Suffrage movement.