Camp Confidential: America’s Secret Nazis review: The documentary puts a new perspective on foreign diplomacy

3/5

Story:

The documentary focuses on Arno Mayer and Peter Wiess, former Jewish American soldiers who were tasked with keeping German scientists and soldiers, who defected from Nazi Germany, comfortable and cooperative, in order to give the US a strategic edge.

Review:

Arno Mayer and Peter Wiess, the last of those who were part of the highly secretive PO Box 1142, divulge information on the once classified operation - an operation that oversaw the naturalisation of German defectors, some of whom were Nazis themselves. Mayer and Wiess provide excellent insight into one of the United States’ most classified national secrets. Of course, it wasn’t always the best-kept secret considering it was always believed that the US had a program that enabled defectors to be naturalised without turning too many heads. The idea was to gain significant leverage over other nations by utilising the resources these scientists and other prominent Germans offered in terms of scientific advancement and intelligence.

However, while this system is a productive avenue from a nation’s defence perspective, it poses several moral and ethical issues. This is because, in an ideal situation, war criminals such as the Nazis would be put on trial to be held accountable for their actions. Instead, at PO Box 1142, such individuals were not only offered safe haven but also given luxuries that are not afforded to regular American citizens. This scenario is most prevalent in the case of Wernher von Braun who was instrumental in Nazi Germany’s rocket technology that caused death and destruction everywhere. Instead of being ostracised for his actions, he ended up becoming an American hero for his contributions to USA’s space programme that had resulted in Neil Armstrong landing on the moon.

Directors Daniel Sivan and Mor Loushy have opted for an animated narrative style for dramatising the flashback sequences whereas they have used original footage for their interviews with Mayer and Wiess. These interviews with the two soldiers accurately capture the inner conflict faced by them while they had to appease people who were responsible for the death of millions. It also describes in detail how they had to overcome their inner rage to carry out their responsibilities.

Despite being a relatively short documentary, it perfectly encapsulates how foreign diplomacy can often get in the way of true justice. It forces the audience to ponder the ethical dilemma that comes with sacrificing ideals in the name of progress. Moreover, it highlights how this was the true beginning of the Cold War between Russia and the United States.

Verdict:

The documentary is a concise narrative that gives a wider perspective on the many intricacies of foreign diplomacy and war.