IFormer Defense Minister, Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Moshe Arens says it was not one, but two different Jewish resistance groups that were behind the well known Warsaw Ghetto Uprising against the Nazis.
Arens spoke about the research that went into his book "Flags over the Warsaw Ghetto" at this year's Marcus Jewish Community Center Book Festival.
"The purpose of this book is to set the record straight, pay respect to both organizations and bring back from anonymity many heroes," said Arens.
Arens recounted the tale of two young men, Mordechai Anielewicz of the Jewish Fighting Organization (ZOB), and Pawel Frenkel of the Jewish Military Organization (ZZW). Both men rose to lead separate resistance organizations in the ghetto and did not unite despite the desperate battle they were facing.
Although the 50,000 odd Jews (270,000 had already been deported to Death Camps) remaining in the ghetto were armed with guns and molotov cocktails they were no match for the Nazi military. After three days of fighting the Nazis beat the Jews.
"They died for the honor of the Jewish people. They fought for a page in human history and in that sense they were victorious," said Arens.