As October came to a close, the foliage in Connecticut and in Nürnberg were putting on the usual autumn display. Dodd remarks in his letters to Grace that,”It makes me homesick to read of your walks on the country roads with all the beautiful foliage about you. I love the fall of the year and most of all I love a New England fall…” [pp. 183-184, 10/29/1945].  As much as he misses home, Tom shares his hopes that the beautiful fall will lead to a mild winter.  “Yesterday was a nice fall day–clear and mild–if this weather continues these Germans will be fortunate.  Let us hope they have a mild winter for if it is severe many will perish.” [p. 186, 11/2/1945]

Dodd is less sanguine about the upcoming trial.  “I will not list the countless little and big problems–suffice it to say they are innumerable…What this organization really needs is about 6 tickets–one way–to New York” [pg. 186, 11/2/1945].   Several days later, the frustrations remain but his writing has a new direction. “The pressure is on for fair now.  Today Jackson published a memorandum naming trial counsel–and–I was included with nine others.” [p. 189, 11/5/1945]  His concluding comments in his letter of 5 November reiterates his ongoing, and conflicting feelings about his contributions and the trial itself.  “It seems strange to me that I should be catapulted onto this trial staff.  Maybe it is a great opportunity.  The world will watch this case–and in my judgment it will make history…I hope I can do a job that will be worthwhile.” [p. 189, 11/5/1945]

–Owen Doremus and Betsy Pittman

[Owen Doremus, a junior at Edwin O. Smith High School, is supporting this blog series with research and writing as part of an independent study.]

The majority of the letters from Tom Dodd to his wife Grace have been published and can be found in Letters from Nuremberg, My father’s narrative of a quest for justice. Senator Christopher J. Dodd with Lary Bloom. New York: Crown Publishing, 2007.

Images available in Thomas J. Dodd Papers.