American Experience

(Tom Lehrer playing "Wernher von Braun" on piano) Gather round while I sing you of Wernher von Braun A man whose allegiance is ruled by expedience Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown "Nazi-shmazi," says Wernher von Braun (piano continues) Don't say that he's hypocritical (plays flourish on piano) Say, rather, that he's apolitical (in

German accent)

"Once the rockets are up "Who cares where they come down? (audience laughs) That's not my department," says Wernher von Braun (audience laughs) (in

regular accent)

Some have harsh words for this man of renown But some think our attitude should be one of gratitude Like the widows and cripples in old London Town Who owe their large pensions to Wernher von Braun You, too, may be a big hero Once you've learned to count backwards to zero (in

German accent)

"In German oder Englisch, I know how to count down And I'm learning Chinese," says Wernher von Braun (plays final chord, audience applauds)

NEIL ARMSTRONG

That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. (speaking German) (speaking German)

ED BUCKBEE

All those years, we had very, very few inquiries about von Braun's past. We never really had any questions about what, what are all these Germans doing, you know, involved in this program? That never came up. He was kind of untouchable. He was the rocket man, and he was taking us to the moon. Then when things began to change, he handled it quite well. (audience applauding, "Up, Up, and Away" playing) I believe you were forced to join the Nazi party, as I understand it. No, this isn't quite right. Oh. Um... (audience laughs) I was trying to make it sound... I got a letter one fine day which said, "We understand you would like to join the party, and here is a form, an application form." But the circumstances were such that... the message would have been very loud and clear, you know, had you not sent it in.

GEORGE ALEXANDER

He disavowed any loyalty to Hitler or to the German cause. He acknowledged the regime's crimes. He tried to avoid discussing the politics of World War II. Do you have a statement... Dr. von Braun, were you-- were you aware that there was a slave camp near the plant you worked in Germany? Well, you are misinformed. The slave camp was about 400 miles from where I worked, because I was in charge of the development of the V-2 rocket, which took place in Peenemnde on the Baltic, and this slave camp was in Central Germany in the Harz Mountains... Were you aware that there were any atrocities taking place there? I learned later on that there were atrocities taking place there, but I was not involved in this whole operation.

ALEXANDER

He had to have known that all those people he saw pushing heavy equipment were horribly abused. He would have had to have been blind, deaf, and mute not to have known that. Do you feel that it will hinder your reputation at all? Well, that remains to be seen. As I say, I think this record is for inspection. And... I have nothing to hide, I had nothing to hide, and... I told the court what I knew. I was here as a witness; I'm not implicated. Remember that. (crowd applauding)

RICHARD NIXON

Only a few short weeks ago, we shared the glory of man's first sight of the world as God sees it, as a single sphere reflecting light in the darkness. As the Apollo astronauts flew over the moon's gray surface on Christmas Eve... (protesters' chants grow louder)

NIXON

They spoke to us of the beauty of Earth. (rockets firing, exploding) (protesters clamoring) Get lost! (clamoring continues)

ROGER LAUNIUS

In the time that they were focused on going to the moon, the world had changed. Society had changed in pretty fundamental ways.

FRANK BORMAN

After Apollo 8, President Nixon sent me around to make talks on the different college campuses. (crowd talking indistinctly) Everywhere I went, I met with antagonism and even hatred. I think I represented, to these people, the establishment. At one of the places, I had to go in by helicopter because they'd barricaded the entrance to the college. (siren blaring) And at Columbia, I was run off the stage by a guy in a gorilla suit. They threw marshmallows at me. It was unbelievable. (crowd clamoring) When we went to Cornell, it was like going into an enemy camp. I couldn't believe I was in America. And I must say, when you continually point your finger at the establishment and big business, I'd like to just shoot it back at you a little bit. Many of us think one of the greatest problems we have in the environment of the future is the current crop of irresponsible college radicals. (audience groans)

BORMAN

The difference between the reaction on the American campuses and overseas was like night and day.

REPORTER

To the people of this planet, what is the meaning of this stupendous venture? (crowd applauding)

BORMAN

They were excited, they were happy, they were very congratulatory, they were wonderful. Everywhere. (chuckling): Except on the American campus. Even in Russia, they were very, very friendly. I was there in 1969, my family and I. This was before the lunar landing. We spent two weeks over there, going all over the country. They couldn't have been more nice to us.

REPORTER

Another warm welcome for the traveling American astronaut who came far out of his way, all the way to central Siberia, to pay tribute to Soviet science. Colonel Borman, you've seen something of the world of Soviet science-- how does it impress you? Oh, very much. They certainly have a fine institute here. (speaking Russian)

BORMAN

The intellectuals there understood their system was corrupt and couldn't last, but they were afraid to talk about it unless you got them off by themselves. It was that kind of a society. And I like to think that the Apollo program had a lot to do with the subsequent dismantling of the Soviet Union. Have you had any feeling from the cosmonauts of their view toward the pending moon landing and Apollo 11? Well, I think they feel the same way about that as we do about theirs-- they wish us all success, as we've done on every one of their flights.