Whoa, wait a cotton-picking minute. The Germans invented the prototype of the drone. Gee, they have short memories those Germans.
Germany's Drone Conundrum: 'New Wars' Demand New Mindsets
Germany's government recently announced plans to do a 180-degree policy shift by deploying armed drones in combat. It argues that remote-controlled killing machines are no different than any other weapons, but experts say the "new wars" have completely different - and revolutionary - rules.
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The Germans invented the prototype of almost every modern weapon we use today, yet they are shocked, shocked that people are using these weapons on others. (Ballistic missile, assault rifle, night vision goggles, air to surface and surface to air missiles, submarine launched missiles, stealth coating, et al.)
Pictured here is the Aladin model, which is a bit heavier and used for reconnaissance in Afghanistan by German soldiers of the Quick Reaction Force.
It isn’t so bad if you use a little drone, I guess.
Camp Dora, the work camp where V-1s and V-2s were assembled by slave labor supplied to von Braun by the SS (of which von Braun was an honorary major), had the highest death rate of any of the work camps in Nazi Germany. Of course, for all Von Braun knew, the rockets may have been made by fairies in the Black Forest. The rockets just showed up everyday from somewhere. He didn’t ask where. Hmmmm.
Rocket engine assembly in V-2 pilot product at Peenemunde, 1943.
[Source: Der Spiegel. Images courtesy of Der Spiegel and Progress is Fine.]
Charles McCain is a lifelong student of World War Two. He grew up in South Carolina and is a graduate of Tulane University. An Honorable German is his first novel. After surviving a bout with cancer 3 years ago, Mr. McCain is at work on several writing projects. He lives in Washington, DC.
