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And that would make it any better?
I get that feeling when reading many of the fine biographies and histories of Germany in WWII. I do not hardly get the sense of shame for fighting for one of the most evil regimes in history but only regret that the war was lost. I read some accounts that show the authors or subjects to have feelings of guilt but it is mostly not genuinely felt. One gets the feeling in many instances where they display feelings of pain for losing the war.
I agre completely. My assessment is purely clinical with no emotion injected into the conversation. I cannot hate the Germans as a people. My opinion is that the world has changed in many ways and it is too easy to make quick judgements on such a subject. Especially when the subject is so faceted and has so many qualifiers such as age, location, education and numerous other possibilities. Based on todays standards they seem to be a wicked people for the treatment of the Jewish people as well as other undesirables, but then again every nation has gone through some dark times including my own. I cannot judge the Germans or Japanese as a people for the war because they lived in a totalarian society but I can only give my opinion on actions.
And please, this axe you seem to have to grind with me, tell it outright already, and relieve me of this constant unjust hammering of yours, it is really beginning to bug me. But since you in an openly mocking manner insinuated that I am of the opinion that I know more than you, please provide proof to this accusation. I believe I have treated you with nothing but dignity and respect, I ask only the same in return.
Heinous indeed. It's hard to believe that was not too long ago.Well based upon most overall deaths due to both regimes, it probably goes goes to Stalin. But subjectively, they are rather equally heinous aren't they. Good post Parsifal.
What is most disturbing is that youth my kids age remember WWII like they remember Waterloo or Ghengis Khan. Sad really. And unfortunately, we are doomed to repeat it. I just hope I'm gone.
The truly sad part to me is look how many more times something like this has happened since WWII.
I had no idea of the specifics of the savagery meted out by Germans on Russian POWs and vice versa, it's sobering stuff.Some facts to consider are these...
In Germany, they first came for the communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Catholic.
Then they came for me -- and by that time there was nobody left to speak up.
Here's a quote by Lutheran Pastor Niemoller that pretty much sums it up:
Soren
1) Finns seemed to think that shooting of PoWs by German soldiers were more common in early days, that weakened the revenge theory. Yes, there were also Soviet atrocities in those early days and some killing were clearly revenges to Soviet atrocities.
2) Finns were really appalled how some, in fact rather many ordinary German soldiers handled and murdered Jews regardless their age or sex. What was writtten to soldiers belt buckles didn't seem to have effect on their behavior.
Juha