re: Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated by the Red Army on this day in 1945...

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There’s a PBS program “Bombing Auschwitz” re-airing this week that recounts the story of escapees Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler. They escaped together in early 1944.

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The book "The Escape Artist" is about Rudolf Vrba and how slowly the wheels of bureaucracy ground even though thousands were being murdered daily. He was especially upset that deportations of Hungarian Jews hadn't started yet when he escaped, but ultimately hundreds of thousands died because he couldn't get a swift - or much of any - reaction.

The bombing of the camps was a non-starter politically. If Jews (or other prisoners) were killed in bombing raids, the fallout was determined to be not worth the risk. The bombing of transport lines was determined to only likely minimally slow executions, while risking aircraft and aircrews, and neglecting military targets.

Rudolf Vrba was a frustrated and angry man.