The Man Who Might Have Been: An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Herbert Norman

[@texadian339]

I am actually a relative of Norman's and was lucky enough to speak with his late wife on some of these topics for a paper I wrote during my History undergrad at Carleton University...what an enigmatic historical figure he was!

[@texadian339]

I guess I should also say that his late wife WAS SURE that he was falsely accused. He was somewhat problematic to diplomatic arrangements in that he had grown up all over the world. And of course in the McCarthy-ite era that was reason enough. His wife believed to the end that he was innocent of that which they accused him. I believed her.

[@xanbex8324]

A real MAN of honour. Beautiful portrait....thank you!

[@jamessmithers4456]

As Churchill said"If you aren't a communist at 20, you have no heart, if you are still a communist at 40 , you have no brain". Norman had both. A great heart and an extraordinary mind. His book on the origins of the Modern Japanese State remains 7 decades after publication one of the two or three must read books for anyone with even a moderately serious interest in Japan.

[@jeanchristophe7429]

Churchill never said this, BTW

[@davideatwell6577]

Interesting, thanks

[@ashah8656]

April 1st...

[@paideia-e9u]

Thank you very, for such long and complicated topic documentary. I am not sure if this work would serve or change anything for now or even future, because the world is like cancer now compare to 60 years ago. altc

[@chel3SEY]

This documentary is contradictory. It quotes Norman saying "I entered the party" (18.57) and it states that he "believed in communism" (57.21). Yet it later says that "Norman insists he never joined the party, and this was technically true. He had never been a card-carrying member of the party" (1.10.55). So was he a member of the Communist Party or not? What does "I entered the party" mean if not that he was a member? And what does it mean to say "he had never been a card-carrying member of the party" if he also claimed he "entered the party"? None of this is clarified. Utterly confusing on the central question. If he was a member and lied about it, then he was in violation of the terms of his employment and should never have been allowed to remain in post.

[@phishphood423]

It seems like you answered your own question in the quotes you provided. He "joined" the party in whatever extent that meant at the time, but he was not a "card carrying" meaning "official member" of the party. Think like...attending some nights with the local sewing group, but not paying to join the club for a membership card. You also missed the central point of this documentary. It is not yet another inquisition into the loyalties of Norman. Plenty of that has been done already. It does not seek to answer the question, "was Norman a communist!?" because ultimately, history does not give a fuck, and you really needn't either.

[@End-Putler4eva]

The documentary film winner of most boring & agonizingly slow.