History Book: 20 years since the Iraq War began

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Monday, March 20th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Next up, the WORLD History Book. Today the 20th anniversary of the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Plus, the first woman to win the Iditarod dog-sled race. But let’s start things off with the surprising life of a famous French actor. Here’s Paul Butler.

PAUL BUTLER, REPORTER: We begin today in the city of Strasbourg, France—100 years ago. Charles Mangel owns a small kosher butcher shop. On March 22nd, 1923, he and his wife welcome a son. They name him Marcel. He is a natural actor—even at a young age.

At five years old he begins mimicking the physical humor of Charlie Chaplin to the delight of his family and friends. Marcel dreams of becoming a silent movie star.

At age 17, the Nazis invade France and the acting student goes into hiding. His Jewish family flees from town to town, trying to stay ahead of the advancing German army. During this time, Marcel and his brother join the French resistance. To hide his Jewish identity, he changes his last name from Mangel to Marceau—after a famous French general.

Marcel Marceau begins as a forger—creating false identity cards for resistance members. But he soon graduates to a more dangerous task—escorting Jewish children to safe houses for evacuation.

On one occasion he dresses up as a Boy Scout leader and takes two dozen Jewish kids disguised as scouts to the forest for a supposed “day trip” near the Swiss border. He then hands them off to another handler who escorts them into Switzerland.

During his time with the resistance Marceau refines his acting craft. His mime routines sometimes quietly distract the children from nearby danger. At other times, he uses it to communicate directions to escape detection. He saves more than 70 children from German deportation.

In 2001 the University of Michigan awarded its Wallenberg Medal to the 78-year old Marcel Marceau—honoring him for acting selflessly in the face of danger.

MARCEL MARCEAU: It is true that I saved children bringing them over the border in Switzerland. I forged identity cards with my brother when it was very dangerous…[but] I don't like to speak about myself because what I did humbly during the war was only a small part about what happened to heroes who died.

Marcel Marceau died (quietly) on September 22nd, 2007 at age 84.

MUSIC: [FRENCH MUSIC OUT]

Next, 38 years ago today

SOUND: [IDITAROD AMBI]

Libby Riddles crosses the finish line of the 11-hundred mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race after 18 days, 20 minutes, and 17 seconds. The Wisconsin native becomes the first woman to win the grueling race.

When asked what she was going to do with the $50,000 prize money:

LIBBY RIDDLES: The money? I don’t know, maybe Hawaii. That’s what I keep talking about. A box of dog biscuits for every dog on the team. I don’t know. I can’t even believe it yet.

Riddles laughs with spectators and poses with her lead dogs. She sports a visible gash across the bridge of her nose, as during the race she struck a low hanging branch—losing her headlamp in the process.

Two weeks into the race, a blizzard made visibility nearly impossible. Riddles took a risky step deciding to brave the storm while everyone else hunkered down.

RIDDLES: I made an agreement with myself before I left that if I took off, I wasn’t going to come back. Even if it’s crummy.

White-out conditions eventually forced Riddles to stop. She spent the night in her sled bag to wait out the worst of the storm alone in the wilderness. But when the storm cleared she had a commanding 6-hour lead over the nearest teams.

In 2007, her Iditarod victory was inducted as a “Hall of Fame Moment” into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame.

RIDDLES: What I loved about the Iditarod, was that it got me out into the real part of Alaska, and out into the villages. I hope that there are always dog teams running around this state. And I hope we never forget our traditions and our heritage, and thank you so much for this. [APPLAUSE]

This year’s Iditarod came to an end Friday, as the last dog team and musher crossed the finish line…after only 12 days on the trail.

MUSIC: [IDITAROD TRAIL SONG BY ALASKAS HOBO JIM]

And finally, 20 years ago this week, the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. US President George W. Bush:

GEORGE BUSH: My fellow citizens. At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger.

Bush promises that the operation will only target military assets—intended to “undermine Saddam Hussein’s ability to wage war.” He assures Americans that the US is not doing this alone.

BUSH: More than 35 countries are giving crucial support from the use of naval and air bases to help with intelligence and logistics to deployment of combat units.

Before the attack began, US intelligence discovered that Hussein embedded Iraqi forces and equipment in civilian areas attempting to use civilians as human shields.

BUSH: I want Americans and all the world to know that coalition forces will make every effort to spare innocent civilians from harm. We come to Iraq with respect for its citizens, for their great civilization and for the religious faiths they practice. We have no ambition in Iraq except to remove a threat and restore control of that country to its own people.

President Bush soberly assures Americans that the US and its allies enter this conflict reluctantly.

BUSH: Now that conflict has come, the only way to limit its duration is to apply decisive force and I assure you this will not be a campaign of half measures and we will accept no outcome but victory.

My fellow citizens, the dangers to our country and the world will be overcome. We will pass through this time of peril and carry on the work of peace. We will defend our freedom. We will bring freedom to others and we will prevail.

May God bless our country and all who defend her.

Less than two months later, President Bush declares an end to major combat operations—saying the mission had been “accomplished.” But it takes more than seven more years before the United States officially ends its combat mission in Iraq.

That’s this week’s WORLD History Book, I’m Paul Butler.

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