Truth behind "Song of Bangladesh"?

BenBurch · 25th May 2012, 12:35 PM

Joan Baez' "Song of Bangladesh" relates an atrocity that I have never found corroboration for;

Quote:

Did you read about the army officer’s plea
For donor’s blood? It was given willingly
By boys who took the needles in their veins
And from their bodies every drop of blood was drained
No time to comprehend and there was little pain

Did anything like this ever happen? I have searched for this a number of times, and have only found statements that this was about the massacre at Dhaka University during the Liberation War, but this is a very specific act she is describing, and I wonder if there was any basis in fact or then-current rumor for it?

I Ratant · 25th May 2012, 04:13 PM

ISTR a similar rumor about the early days of WWII, when the Germans were accused of draining Polish children dry.

BenBurch · 26th May 2012, 09:19 PM

Interesting. It is a sort of blood libel perhaps?

Marduk · 27th May 2012, 05:57 AM

Quote:

There was yet another cruelty practiced which has no precedence in history. During curfew hours Pak soldiers used to collect all the young boys they could find in the houses. They were blindfolded and handcuffed and taken to hospitals where their total blood used to be drained off. After which their dead bodies were thrown into Buri Ganga River. This is reported to have been practiced at many places throughout Bangladesh

http://www.muktadhara.net/page35.html

tomwaits · 27th May 2012, 06:02 AM

nvm

I Ratant · 27th May 2012, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by BenBurch

Interesting. It is a sort of blood libel perhaps?

.
Most likely is... but who knows..
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12292

BenBurch · 28th May 2012, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Marduk

http://www.muktadhara.net/page35.html

Thank you.

Mark6 · 2nd June 2012, 03:50 PM

I heard a similar story about Algerian war of independence. Supposedly Algerian rebels drained captured French soldiers of all blood, after recording blood type from their dog tags.

Marduk · 6th June 2012, 10:40 AM

similar story from Kampuchea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kang_Ke...and_Tuol_Sleng

Quote:

At least 100 detainees died after having their blood drawn for transfusions for wounded soldiers. Surgical operations were also performed on detainees in order to train medical staff

BenBurch · 8th June 2012, 10:19 AM

Looks like this is a common accusation. I wonder if it ever actually happened anywhere?

I Ratant · 9th June 2012, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by BenBurch

Looks like this is a common accusation. I wonder if it ever actually happened anywhere?

.
I'm waiting to hear of it in Syria.

BenBurch · 11th June 2012, 05:19 AM

Originally Posted by I Ratant

.
I'm waiting to hear of it in Syria.

Those monsters it might actually be true about.

HansMustermann · 12th June 2012, 10:07 AM

I'm pretty sure the accusation of draining kids dry was also used against some anti-communist resistance fighters in Eastern Europe after WW2.

And I guess that's why it works: there's always someone out there that persons X, Y and Z are willing to believe to be a complete monster. All that's needed, and thus eagerly accepted, are the details of exactly what kind of monster are they.

I Ratant · 12th June 2012, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by BenBurch

Those monsters it might actually be true about.

.
It's kinda difficult to point to the real bad guys there...
Is it the gummint?
Is it the insurgents?
Is it an outside party fomenting trouble?
Is it tribal disputes?

JeanFromBNA · 12th June 2012, 11:56 AM

If you insist on corroboration, how are you ever going to write whiny anti-war songs?

BenBurch · 12th June 2012, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by JeanFromBNA

If you insist on corroboration, how are you ever going to write whiny anti-war songs?

To be fair, the tools to research such things are vastly better now than at the time.

25th May 2012, 12:35 PM	#1
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,142	Truth behind "Song of Bangladesh"? Joan Baez' "Song of Bangladesh" relates an atrocity that I have never found corroboration for; Quote: Did you read about the army officer’s plea For donor’s blood? It was given willingly By boys who took the needles in their veins And from their bodies every drop of blood was drained No time to comprehend and there was little pain Did anything like this ever happen? I have searched for this a number of times, and have only found statements that this was about the massacre at Dhaka University during the Liberation War, but this is a very specific act she is describing, and I wonder if there was any basis in fact or then-current rumor for it?
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26th May 2012, 09:19 PM	#3
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,142	Interesting. It is a sort of blood libel perhaps?
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27th May 2012, 06:02 AM	#5
tomwaits Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chicago, IL, USA Posts: 2,288	nvm
	Last edited by tomwaits; 27th May 2012 at 06:10 AM.

28th May 2012, 08:31 PM	#7
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,142	Originally Posted by Marduk http://www.muktadhara.net/page35.html Thank you.
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2nd June 2012, 03:50 PM	#8
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,176	I heard a similar story about Algerian war of independence. Supposedly Algerian rebels drained captured French soldiers of all blood, after recording blood type from their dog tags.
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,176	__________________ Gamemaster: "A horde of rotting zombies is shambling toward you. The sign over the door says 'Accounting'"

25th May 2012, 04:13 PM	#2
I Ratant Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 15,305	ISTR a similar rumor about the early days of WWII, when the Germans were accused of draining Polish children dry.

27th May 2012, 05:57 AM	#4
Marduk Banned Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Newbury, Berkshire Posts: 10,242	Quote: There was yet another cruelty practiced which has no precedence in history. During curfew hours Pak soldiers used to collect all the young boys they could find in the houses. They were blindfolded and handcuffed and taken to hospitals where their total blood used to be drained off. After which their dead bodies were thrown into Buri Ganga River. This is reported to have been practiced at many places throughout Bangladesh http://www.muktadhara.net/page35.html

27th May 2012, 09:40 AM	#6
I Ratant Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 15,305	Originally Posted by BenBurch Interesting. It is a sort of blood libel perhaps? . Most likely is... but who knows.. http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12292

6th June 2012, 10:40 AM	#9
Marduk Banned Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Newbury, Berkshire Posts: 10,242	similar story from Kampuchea http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kang_Ke...and_Tuol_Sleng Quote: At least 100 detainees died after having their blood drawn for transfusions for wounded soldiers. Surgical operations were also performed on detainees in order to train medical staff

8th June 2012, 10:19 AM	#10
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,142	Looks like this is a common accusation. I wonder if it ever actually happened anywhere?
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9th June 2012, 11:35 AM	#11
I Ratant Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 15,305	Originally Posted by BenBurch Looks like this is a common accusation. I wonder if it ever actually happened anywhere? . I'm waiting to hear of it in Syria.

11th June 2012, 05:19 AM	#12
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,142	Originally Posted by I Ratant . I'm waiting to hear of it in Syria. Those monsters it might actually be true about.
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12th June 2012, 10:07 AM	#13
HansMustermann Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 9,844	I'm pretty sure the accusation of draining kids dry was also used against some anti-communist resistance fighters in Eastern Europe after WW2. And I guess that's why it works: there's always someone out there that persons X, Y and Z are willing to believe to be a complete monster. All that's needed, and thus eagerly accepted, are the details of exactly what kind of monster are they.

12th June 2012, 11:32 AM	#14
I Ratant Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 15,305	Originally Posted by BenBurch Those monsters it might actually be true about. . It's kinda difficult to point to the real bad guys there... Is it the gummint? Is it the insurgents? Is it an outside party fomenting trouble? Is it tribal disputes?

12th June 2012, 11:56 AM	#15
JeanFromBNA Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 399	If you insist on corroboration, how are you ever going to write whiny anti-war songs?

12th June 2012, 12:03 PM	#16
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,142	Originally Posted by JeanFromBNA If you insist on corroboration, how are you ever going to write whiny anti-war songs? To be fair, the tools to research such things are vastly better now than at the time.
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