Just an idea rolling around in my head, suppose some money fell out of the sky.....And..... I've always been a fan of Hogan's Heroes. The set for the show existed at one time-I would've loved to visit it. So, suppose, There was a WW2 theme park and certain things were do-able. How about a mockup of Stalag 13 (along with gift shop) ? Something else that is possible (need a lakeside for this) a ride on a PT Boat ? An air strip operation would be too costly, but how about some flight simulators ? Oooh, and a submarine simulator is a must. I've always liked Battleships too, so, from the outside, it looks like a Battleship. You go inside on a tour and see a galley, crews quarters, fire direction control, then you take an elevator to the "bridge". Once there, you find the bridge is busy as the USS Neversail is about to trade salvoes with the Bismarck (or Yamato, or Tokyo Express). Through viewscreens, customers watch (and hear) the battle unfold. What else can you think of ?
I agree John theres not a lot that is good about war, Do think some of the vet's would take there grand kids there. I remember my Grandfather taking me to the tank museum at Bovington when I was about 7-8 years old he hated it!
Maybe it wasnt explained correctly but, not necessarily a Theme Park but a place where one could interact with whats offered? I think that would help teach people actual history-sorta like a hands on experiance without having to go through the real dael? or am I wrong?
Thank you Carl, yes, I didn't explain it well. An interactive museum. What would it be like to be on a sub that submerges and then goes into attack mode ? What would it be like to be on the bridge of a battleship doing battle with another battleship ? Ride on a PT boat. Go in a flight simulator, take off from a carrier, fly among the clouds, take on a Zero, (or a FW-190).
Making merriment with regard to such intense loss of life would be disrespectful to those who perished.
While I don't think the idea of an "amusement park" is a good idea, something like a huge centralized outdoor museum would be kind of cool. The more different interactions it would have, the better it would be. I would love to ride in a Higgins boat or B-17 to experience the feeling and get some connection to the past, no matter how futile it might reach in the present time without the enemy barring down on you. It would have to be done with the greatest respect though, and that's the tricky part. Are families going to a museum to have a good time scream disrespect when the subject is a war? Maybe.... But then again, how is this different from people going out to see re-enactments, whether they are WWII, Civil War, and so on. What is different from people paying and enjoying a flight in a WWII bomber? If the overall goal to this is education and teaching everyone something about the war, I think it would be great if you could find the funding to make something so grand. But then again, a museum of this size would have to cater to people learning and having fun to get the multitudes in, so there again lies the problem.
There are some interactive military history sites but they tend to be small and usually focused on a specific event. A large site would need to generate a lot of traffic which would be hard, but one can allways dream.
Very good summing up, making the museum attractive enough to be economically viable and at the same time giving respect to the millions that died is a very difficult balancing act. The reenactment groups thrive because the costs are within reach of dedicated individuals, but that model just doesn't scale up.
There are some museums that give the touch and feel of amazing and intense situations such as the Fantasy of Flight Museum in Polk Florida. The entrance places you in the trenches of the WWI with the snapping of gun fire, with strewn barbwire and biplanes, one crashed and one in the air. The exit of a walk through of a B-17 plants you in a night time tarmac environment. Entering a C-47 gives you the sensation of being at the edge of your jump. There is a display of a crashed Zero on a tropical terrain as it was found in 1974. They also have operational Corsair flight simulators. The National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, TX is another good one. Fantasy of Flight, World's Greatest Aircraft Collection The National Museum of the Pacific War
Showing a Stalag would have a special interest for me to see.....if you read about the prisons the allies had no way to cook their food until they took it upon themselves to provide. Many of them went hungry for long periods of time. It is sad for me to realize this but we should all be aware. Once in a while the rations supplied by the Red Cross actually would reach them. Items would arrive inside tins. From the metal of these tins the allies did tin work with primitive tools to make little heaters by which they were able to heat and cook food. There came to be a large tin works in the prison for the things they needed and each piece of tin got utilized in some way. I would be amazed to see those items. I have also read stories that troops made small crystal radios for hearing broadcasts and other things. It would be great to see those things in a museum. It would be educational as well.
I think an interactive museum with flight and sub simulators would be cool. Also with hands on things like holding the weapons and going inside the vehicles might be pretty interesting.
I highly DOUBT that he meant it as "Making Merriment" but more like a "Hands-On" type of thing, therefore-those who lived the experiance would not be shamed. This is akin to those "Living History Reenactments" that you see at huge Gun and militaria Shows as well as in Parades and such. I dont think the first post was meant to have an Six Flags Over Texas or Astroworld type of experiance. I for one, would like a "Hands-On" approach to things that happen in war-great way to teach and learn.
