Tomahawk

[Andy_S]

Steve:

I was familiar with this, but did not realize Washington was so deeply implicated. And Jefferson's policies sound like German policies in occupied USSR.

But is that detail about "leggings" credible? Sounds to me rather like the "Jews into soap" urban myth that was current in Nazi Germany.

[Steve James]

But is that detail about "leggings" credible? Sounds to me rather like the "Jews into soap" urban myth that was current in Nazi Germany.

Yeah, that could be a myth. However, skinning Indians to make examples of them is fairly well documented in newspapers. Native American peoples would argue that most of the atrocities associated with them were invented by Europeans. That includes the practice of taking scalps. Now, to some that might seem incredible, and some Native American peoples did take scalps before Columbus. In general, it wasn't a terror tactic. Rather, the belief was that enemies killed should be disfigured or disabled (so that they wouldn't seek their killer out in the afterlife). Otoh, the Brits in Massachusetts and elsewhere paid bounties for Indian scalps. However, it didn't start or stop in the Americas. In Africa, the Belgians took hands for trophies --and proofs that their native soldiers were actually using the bullets they'd been issued. Recall that Nat Turner was skinned and parts of his body taken as souvenirs; but, this practice of souvenir taking was common at lynchings. That too, was more to demonstrate dominance than to have any deterrent effect. So, though the "Jews into soap" story might not be true, it's not because people wouldn't have the idea or will to do it. And afa Washington giving an order to turn native thigh skins into leg-warmers for his troops, I cannot tell a lie. I doubt it, but I'd believe it.

Anyway, when we are told about horrendous atrocities, it's usually something the other guy did.

[Andy_S]

When it comes to man's inhumanity to man, some of the "creativity" displayed is diabolical.

[wiesiek]

..."Jews into soap" story might not be true,..."
unfortunately, it is the truth.
You should know, that Auschwitz and lot of less known "camps", was in reality , simply speaki`n, something like big "factory of the death "
Nazi has to deal with utilization of enormous amounts of human flesh.
In Auschwitz museum there is some more examples of Nazi inventions : "How to use human death body for profit" , along with the soap of course.

[vehu]