Originally posted by BlauK
Seeker, how much have you studied or read about SS (e.g. the foreign volunteers and late war SS troops)? That issue could be argued just as well but most likely this forum and this thread are not the best place.
BTW. I did not know that Rall or Galland were Nazis. or did you just refer to them because they were Germans flying in LW? How do you feel about the new Pope and his background?
Well; I'm by no way a "real" historian; just an interested party with a good book collection; same as most of us here; I guess.
But you mention foreign volunteers and late war troops....
Yes; there were people who conscientiously joined the fight against Bolshevism. But these people weren't "defending their homeland"; were they? They were destroying some one else's on the eastern front; by and large; and usually were the poorest controlled with respect to civilians to boot.
Certainly; it's an uncomfortable fact that there were more Dutch volunteers for the Reich than there were Dutch resistance members; a situation which is largely mirrored in many of the occupied lands. And yes; most of these foreign volunteers were incorporated into the SS in some way.
Nonetheless; I believe my point stands.
As for Rall and Galland being Nazis? At the time, yes. They took a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler; met the man; shook his hand and offered their lives to his cause. "We; the people"; as our American friends like to say....
The measure of the men is that post war they could accept that they were fighting for the wrong cause; unlike Rudel. They were supporters; but not necessarily believers; nor fanatics. And of course; post war; comes a lot of rationalization; a lot of "we were protecting our home land"; a lot of "we were only following orders".
But Nuremberg showed that "only following orders" is not a defense.
For Axis fighters to claim "we were defending our homeland" is as disingenuous as Allied fighters saying "we did it to save the Jews!".
There's a grain of truth in both statements; but really; they're untrue.
As for the Pope; well, there's several factors.
The first is that it's recognized that many; if indeed not most members of the Hitler youth were in some degree coerced into the organization. But young minds are easily molded; and I couldn't possibly have an opinion of how well the process worked on any given individual with out studying that individuals particular history.
The second factor is one I'm really not qualified to have an opinion on; and that's Christianity; and it's doctrine of repentance and forgiveness.
In other words, Blauk; I recognize your bait; but don't have a fishing rod to match
