Too many WW2 insults, not enough knowledge

All these remarks about the Second World War show people's ignorance about history. The German military was the finest in the world in the 1940s. As an American and historian, I have the greatest respect for the German soldiers of World War II. They were disciplined, well trained and possessed unmatched esprit de corps. In essence, they were professional soldiers. To have accomplished what it did with meager resources was fantastic. With horses for the most part because the German army was that mechanized in 1941, they made it to gates of Moscow, conquered France in 6 weeks and threw the British out of Greece.

The problem with the German military wasn't the soldiers or the generals...it was Hitler. It was Hitler that wasted a generation of young German men in the snows of Russia with a ridiculous "fight to the last man" order. It was Hitler's fault that the 6th Army was trapped at Stalingrad and didn't attempt a breakout. It was Hitler that spread the German army out to thin with three prong attack on Russia. It was Hitler that held the tanks from capturing the British army at Dunkirk. Hitler made one mistake after another no matter what his generals advised him. Without Hitler, World War II would have never happened....but if it did, the outcome might have much different.

In truth, it was the Russians that beat Germany, not England or America. 4 out of 5 Germans that were killed in battle died on the Eastern Front. Now I admit America furnished a good deal of aid to Russia, but that wasn't the turning point. Hitler had adopted a foolish policy to treat Ukrainians and other Slavic people as slaves; so these Slavs, who hated Stalin, united behind the Communists in order to escape being slaves. That was the turning point. The Wehrmacht had warned him against that stupid plan.

To be honest, if Russia is taken out of the war, Germany would have won. Neither the USA nor the UK could have landed at Normandy. The war in North Africa could have been pursued and the Germans would have captured the much needed oil of the Middle East. A sort of cold war would have come about between the West and Germany.

Why have I told you all this? I see Americans boasting about beating Germany and I see Germans apologizing for the war. In the case of the Germans, I think the present generation should be proud of its grandfathers and great grandfathers who endured a living hell to fight for their country. Remember this, most German soldiers weren't fighting for Nazism, they were fighting for their wives, mothers, families and their nation. That is something that Americans should respect. The United States is very proud of her military achievements, then both Germans and Americans should respect one another.

During the long Cold war (1945-1990), American military commanders in Western Europe were glad that they had the West German army beside them.

So, really, don't talk about World War II until you study it in depth.

Jin Heckman 27 Nov 2008, 08:18 - Report