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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Letter: 'George McGovern was a brave, decent and compassionate man' | Letter: 'George McGovern was a brave, decent and compassionate man' |
| (30 days later) | |
| George McGovern was often attacked from the right for his opposition to the Vietnam war. In fact, he had a much more distinguished record, as a bomber pilot in the second world war, than most of his critics. Did he ever regret any of the 35 bombing raids in which he participated? He often recalled that in early 1945 his plane had been flying low over the Austrian countryside and the crew had been trying to jettison a bomb that had been stuck. Finally, it was released over a farmhouse and McGovern was sure that it must have killed everyone inside. | George McGovern was often attacked from the right for his opposition to the Vietnam war. In fact, he had a much more distinguished record, as a bomber pilot in the second world war, than most of his critics. Did he ever regret any of the 35 bombing raids in which he participated? He often recalled that in early 1945 his plane had been flying low over the Austrian countryside and the crew had been trying to jettison a bomb that had been stuck. Finally, it was released over a farmhouse and McGovern was sure that it must have killed everyone inside. |
| On his return to England with his plane, he was given the news that his wife had given birth to their first child. He was for many years haunted by the fact that on the same day he had become a father, he had almost certainly ended the lives of other children. He recounted this regret when interviewed on Austrian television in the 80s. | On his return to England with his plane, he was given the news that his wife had given birth to their first child. He was for many years haunted by the fact that on the same day he had become a father, he had almost certainly ended the lives of other children. He recounted this regret when interviewed on Austrian television in the 80s. |
| Later that night, an elderly farmer contacted the station to say that he had been on the farm that day, that no one had died and that, as he, the farmer, hated Hitler, he believed that there must have been a good reason for the allies to be bombing there. This lifted a great weight from a brave, decent and compassionate man. | Later that night, an elderly farmer contacted the station to say that he had been on the farm that day, that no one had died and that, as he, the farmer, hated Hitler, he believed that there must have been a good reason for the allies to be bombing there. This lifted a great weight from a brave, decent and compassionate man. |
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