Anne Frank Discussion Question

In The New York Times the writer Anna Quindlen asked, “Would our understanding of the Holocaust be quite the same if Anne Frank had not taken a small plaid diary into hiding with her?” Respond to this question and explain your answer.

My answer to this question is yes and no. To the extent of understanding the events of the war, no, because Anne didn't go into much detail about what was going on outside of her "home". Yes, she talked about the air raids, and about a few occupations, but not very much. But on the other side, she gave the world a deeper understanding about what it was like to live in hiding during the war, and the things they had to go through on a daily basis. Without her diary I don't think people would have known how difficult it was for her family, and the families like them. So in conclusion, I think Anne Frank's diary has and has not helped the further understanding of the war.