We in the US, know all about the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 with 3,000 casualties. Yet, little thought is given the Messina Straits Earthquake of 1908, that claimed over 200,000 victims. Seventy Times greater!
The San Francisco Earthquake was the most destructive quake and one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history occurred at 5:12 A.M. April 17 at a 7.8 magnitude.and is compared with the Hurricane Katrina disaster.
On December 28, 1908, at approximately 5:20am, Europe's most powerful earthquake shook southern Italy. Centered in the Messina Strait, which separates Sicily from Calabria, the quake's magnitude equaled a 7.5 by today's Richter scale. Moments after the quake's first jolt, a devastating tsunami formed, causing forty-foot waves to crash down on dozens of coastal cities.
The Messina quake was undeniably the most destructive to ever hit Europe. Most of southern Italy's cities lost as many as half their residents that morning. The population of the city of Messina alone -- 150,000 -- was reduced to only hundreds; Accounts of shaking and aftershocks were reported throughout Sicily. Signs of the jolt even appeared in Washington, D.C., where the day's crude technology picked up signals of the disaster.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rescue/peopleevents/pandeAMEX99.html
The Messina quake was undeniably the most destructive to ever hit Europe. Most of southern Italy's cities lost as many as half their residents that morning. The population of the city of Messina alone -- 150,000 -- was reduced to only hundreds; Accounts of shaking and aftershocks were reported throughout Sicily. Signs of the jolt even appeared in Washington, D.C., where the day's crude technology picked up signals of the disaster.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/
Salvatore LaGumina spotlights the generous help of the US, and reflects an Idealistic America, not the Colonialistic, Imperialistic country we have become under Geo Bush.
The Great Earthquake
America Comes to Messina's Rescue
Salvatore J. LaGumina
OUTSTANDING REVIEW "One hundred years after the earthquake, Salvatore LaGumina tells a story that has un-fortunately been forgotten. Using first-hand accounts, from survivors and witnesses, including American
sailors, Italian peasants, priests, and journalists, he vividly recounts the utter destruction caused by the earth-quake and tidal wave and the subsequent aid rendered by the U.S. Navy. At the same time, his narrative is
gripping, disturbing, and inspiring. We owe an immense debt of gratitude to him for helping us remind our-selves of the force for good that our nation is, has always been, and always will be." – The Honorable Richard Greco
Jr.,The Assistant Secretary of the NavyFinancial Management and Comptroller2004–2006 History / Italian American Studies
6 x 9" Softcover Level: College & General Readership
256 pages October 2008 US$29.00
ISBN: 9781934844069
* Includes several rare photos
Description
The earthquake that struck the Messina Straits on December 28, 1908, was Europe's most powerful catastrophe in modern times. It claimed the lives of approximately 200,000 people, including some American diplomats and tourists.
This book provides important insight into many aspects of the calamity and its subsequent impact. It also lends us some perspective on more recent natural disasters, such as the Indonesian tsunami of 2004 and Hurricane Katrina of 2005.
In "The Great Earthquake: American Comes to Messina's Rescue", historian Salvatore LaGumina describes the remarkable responses of various nations and people that was an impressive display of cooperation and brotherhood among competing nations. Huge natural disasters frequently result in instances where assistance is rendered by nations that have extremely hostile relations, for example, the aid offered by the United States to Iran in 2003. LaGumina details how such kinship of nations and the brotherhood of mankind were convincingly
and practically demonstrated.
This book also illustrates a valuable example of the use of military might that that saw navy fighting vessels converted into instruments of compassion––the equivalent of the biblical expression, "turning swords into plowshares." (Micah, 4:3) It constituted a unique instance of employing instruments of war not as means of destruction but as creative tools for mankind.
This volume shows that Italian American response to the Italian ordeal was unparalleled in that notwithstanding traditional regional provincialism, as well as disparate political and social class views, this disaster witnessed an early if infrequent example of cohesion––a rare instance in which Italian immigrants coalesced and worked together to alleviate the pain and distress in the Italian homeland. In doing so, they were able to influence American political and business leadership to play a large and meaningful role in assisting Italy. Banding together for the purpose of aiding fellow Italians against the horrendous natural disaster constituted one of the first effective instances of moving outside of their traditional, provincial circles for a universal goal.
The religious dimension of the Messina earthquake is also examined. In Italy where the Catholic Church represented the over-whelming portion of the population, the Church's response was particularly noteworthy. The institutional Church, although battered, placed all of its resources at the disposal of the sufferers, providing hospitalization, shelter, and encouragement through prayer. Religious organizations in America from Christian to
Jewish responded generously to appeals for aid.
The humanitarian role played by the United States in aiding Italy during this crisis deserves to be better known, which LaGumina has documented well in this book. The United States Navy, in particular, is to be credited for providing large quantities of desperately needed food, medical personnel, cots, and blankets.
It was soon realized that recovery from the horrific devastation would require much more assistance, and thus began a little known but important chapter in Italian/American relations in the form of extensive house-building projects that were critically needed. American naval personnel became vigorously engaged in erecting the homes that became known as "the American village." The operation that lasted for weeks elicited genuine appreciation from Italian officials. It also required a delicate temporary relinquishment of national sovereignty by the Italian government to an American camp within Italy.
This study constitutes the first comprehensive volume that specifically explores the extensive and admirable role played by the United States in aiding Italy in the wake of the distressful time. It is an important book that should be of interest and value to people in many fields, including philanthropy, Italian American studies, military/naval history, Italian history, disaster studies, gilded age history, twentieth-century America.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1: America and Italy
Chapter 2: An Appalling Upheaval
Chapter 3: Initial Response
Chapter 4: Answering the Need
Chapter 5: America's Historic Role
Chapter 6: The United States in Action
Chapter 7: Recovery on the Horizon
Chapter 8: The Legacy
Chapter 9: Conclusion
Index
About the Author : Dr. Salvatore J. LaGumina, Director of the Center for Italian American Studies at Nassau Community College, has written and edited eighteen books and dozens of articles, most of which deal with the Italian American experience.
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