My disceased grandfather was a member of the Dutch resistance and was a witness to atrocious acts commited by US and British troops. He told me that in any war lines can get blurred and can cause otherwise good men to do horrible things wich is one of the tragedies of war.
Now let me start by making it very clear I'm no fan of Boothbabe's :rubbel: inducing posts. However I must support BB on this occasion. Whenever I've heard war veterans taking about the war their opinion has almost always been the same as Boothbabe's grandfather. They lived through it. We (Boothbabe, georges and I all being under 40 I'm sure) clearly did not. :2 cents:
The nazis killed 6 millions jews and invaded the whole Europe, they pillaged villages, raped women, killed people who were not sympathizing with them during 5 years. Nazis even butchered people who dared to commit an act of resistance, they were beheaded on the public place. "Atrocious acts" (as you describe it) comitted against nazis by US and British troops can be justified, because Nazis killed a lot of American and British Soldiers during D-Day. Even in Soviet Russia, the partisans and the Red Army were beheading ss officers with an axe because of the horror and the more than horrible crimes the ss divisions committed during the occupation of Russia.
All true from what I've heard and read. But both sides committed crimes against humanity. Remember two wrongs don't make a right.
For example: Just because your uncle cut of my uncle's head and feed it to a pack of wolfs that doesn't justify me shooting you and your siblings dead and feeding their heads to lions. But I'm sure many would understand why I might feel like doing it: revenge. That's why we have the
Geneva Conventions other laws, courts, judges, and prisons etc. to administer justice. It doesn't always work but what does?
There is a thing you will never understand, which is irreparable damage. When you have lost friends and family because of a common ennemy, you can't have feelings, you just have more hate and will to kill the ennemy. You have never faced war and you have never put your life on the line, you don't know what irreparable damage is.
How can any of us born long after WWII really understand its horrors? We've just heard the terrible stories, watched the documentaries and the movies. I have to ask have you faced war or put your life on the line? If you haven't then surely you shouldn't condemn someone else without due cause. I think we are all in the same boat unless you confirm otherwise. BB's point is that soldiers aka trained killers often commit additional horrors whilst fighting a war. BB did not say she agreed with it or that it's right or that the Nazis were good people. BB just pointed out that "atrocious acts" happen in war and were commited by US and British troops. This is true. I hope you don't think if the Allies killed 12 million Germans that's Ok because of what they did, do you?
My grandfather would disagree with you for reasons you'll never be able to understand.
Sadly I think you may well be right. :crying:
They say history repeats itself unless people change. I think this is true and clearly we haven't changed or learned the lessons of war: Iraq and Afghanistan are just two of many examples.
And finally I don't know exactly how many countries sent troops to help The Allies in WWII but from what I've heard the list of countries is very long and included many thousands from Australia, India, Canada, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Fiji, New Zealand, Philippines, Samoa, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe) etc. but some of these countries are rarely ever mentioned. Let’s try and show respect to all those that gave their lives for the freedom some of us are lucky to enjoy today. :2 cents: