Was Wernher von Braun an American Hero?

Was Wernher von Braun an American Hero?

The rousing ballad ‘Wernher von Braun’ undermines the former Nazi — who designed the V-2 ballistic missile in the Second World War and later became a key engineer in the US Apollo space programme. In Lehrer’s view, it was acceptable for NASA to hire von Braun, but making him into an American hero was grotesque.

Who was Tom Lehrer and what did he do?

In 1959, the mathematician and satirist Tom Lehrer — who turns 90 this month — performed what he characteristically called a “completely pointless” scientific song at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

How many songs did John Lehrer write?

Much of Lehrer’s oeuvre — some 50 songs (or 37, by his own ruthless reckoning) composed over nearly three decades — played with tensions at the nexus of science and society. His biggest hit, That Was The Year That Was, covered a gamut of them.

How well do you know Wernicke von Braun?

Von Braun helped develop the ICBM for the U.S. Army and the technology that sent NASA astronauts to the moon. Despite this song and reportedly being the inspiration for the title character in Dr. Strangelove, he was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1975. 1.