posted 06-17-2010 01:11 AM               

To motivate, you must communicate. No one has taken this to heart any more than has Wernher von Braun. In my lifetime I've never seen anyone as adept in sharing a vision. Sharing, for von Braun, meant getting his audience to believe in his vision; to assume it as his or her own and become part of it.

Have you ever hung onto every word of a speech or scanned text eagerly from page to page? I have. My co-workers at Marshall Space Flight Center have. Aerospace leaders have. Congressmen have. The President of the United States has. Each of us has been in the audience of von Braun. As orator, author and editor, von Braun employed his communication prowess to advance the dream of landing man on the moon.

Von Braun combined his natural communication skills with disciplined deadlines and regular follow-up to bring out the same skills in his Marshall team. The result was a very motivated, cohesive group and an impressive collection of weekly notes -- about 10,000 pages -- all read by von Braun!

I've no doubt that if von Braun were alive today; he would be tweeting, texting, emailing and video-conferencing with his team and partners, all on a regular basis. A further thought, had he been with us over these last several years, perhaps those texts and emails would reveal that man had already established a Mars colony and journeyed even further to advance the space frontier.

In the documentary, you will meet Wernher von Braun as you hear from the people who worked closely with him. Study his personal notes and meet his extraordinary rocket team. Witness one of the memorable Saturn firings at von Braun's rocket factory. Share in the vision.

Sample quotes within the Weekly notes:

To Walter Haeussermann who has replied with a negative report: "I guess I haven't had any notes from Astrionics for 3 or 4 weeks. Have you stopped working, has your placed burned down or is it that you simply have no problems?" -- Wernher von Braun

To Hans Maus, concerning doing work for NASA-Houston: "Do we get reimbursed for this work? Houston (NASA) never misses an opportunity to put their hand in our pocket. I think we should reciprocate." -- Wernher von Braun

To his Deputy, Harry Gorman being informed Marshall Space Flight Center may have a janitorial strike: "Get me a broom. I'll sweep my own office." --Wernher von Braun

To Werner Kuers, requesting a briefing on the latest development in rocket fabrication: "Request a briefing on this subject by the most knowledgeable people we have. Please arrange." -- Werhner von Braun

To Fred Cline regarding a report that an employee's failure to recognize a corrosion material: "Who goofed? Please see to it that procedures are tightened. P.S. I'm not interested in name of culprit. I am interested in steps to prevent recurrence." -- Wernher von Braun

To Jim Bramlet/Matt Urland when informed that Boeing had submitted a Saturn V booster change order for several million dollars: "What's going on here?? If Boeing keeps operating like this, we'll be broke in no time! -- Wernher von Braun

To Karl Heimberg when informed delivery of moon rocket engines was delayed: "Just to remind you that you are on the Critical Path," -- Wernher von Braun

A signed DVD is now available for the cost of $19.95, postage and handling included. Purchase both, the book and DVD, for the cost of $65.00, postage and handling included.

Checks payable to:
Ed Buckbee, 47 Revere Way, Huntsville, AL 35801

posted 06-18-2010 08:07 PM               

One type, such as Ed Buckbee's book, are adoring biographies by those who were associated with von Braun when he was with NASA in Alabama or earlier.

The other type are critical approaches to von Braun, such as Michael Neufeld's "Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War," which von Braun's supporters claim are hatchet jobs.

posted 06-18-2010 08:53 PM               

Ed Buckbee, Fred Ordway, Ernst Stuhlinger, and others have all written books with or about von Braun which glossed over von Braun's participation in World War 2, especially von Braun's use of slave labor under horrific conditions to produce the V2 and von Braun's status as an SS officer.

Neufeld documents in great detail what facts are available-- many of the pre-1945 documents were destroyed in the war. However, he does this with what I believe is an anti-von Braun bias.

I don't think Neufeld adequately takes into consideration the dilemma of scientists working in a dictatorship. After the fact, it is easy to condemn scientists who worked under Hitler, Stalin or Mao. What were their choices? What would you do under such circumstances where disobedience could lead to being imprisoned (as was von Braun), shot or worse?

posted 06-22-2010 11:58 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by MCroft04:
But was his life more important than that of thousands of slaves and Brits?

---