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You can't end a war without leaving the past behind. And that means you have to make concessions. You make the comparison with Germany at the end of WWII. Not e
by yabatopia 10y ago
You can't end a war without leaving the past behind. And that means you have to make concessions. You make the comparison with Germany at the end of WWII. Not every Nazi or was punished, on the contrary, the majority escaped what uou call justice. Yes, it's unfair and hard to accept, but that's what makes every peace process so damn hard.
- ekianjo 10y agoNazi not punished ? Most of them died in the war. Oh and none of the allies war criminals were punished. You forgot to mention that.
- tirant 10y agoWe evan had a nazi soldier become a Pope. But you're right, none of the allies war criminals was punished.
- tdb7893 10y agoHe was conscripted into the Hitler Youth, which I think was required by law at the time.
- ptaipale 10y agoDo you say that Joseph Ratzinger was actually a Nazi, or just that he was a German soldier in Second World War? There's quite some difference. The German army was just German army, not specifically a "Nazi army" even though the country was lead by Nazis and even though modern click-baiting headlines equate the two. As far as I know, Ratzinger had nothing to do with National Socialism beyond what was compulsory and unavoidable under pain of death in Nazi Germany (i.e. being drafted).
- trentmb 10y ago> The German army was just German army, not specifically a "Nazi army" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Wehrmacht https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Wehrmacht
- htns 10y agoThat's just a poor article. The English Wikipedia in general is a horrible source on anything related to the Nazis.
- ptaipale 10y agoGerman army was not "clean". They were involved in various atrocities. Other armies also were not "clean". But saying that each and every conscript soldier serving in German army was a Nazi is hyperbole. Even if you did not like Nazis, it was perfectly understandable to like their main adversary, the Soviet army, even less, and fight for your homeland.
- ionised 10y agoPlenty of Nazi scientists and war criminals were given amnesty in the US after the war in exchange for their knowledge.
- simonmd 10y agoWe would be ok with granting amnesty to lower level FARC scientists, but the Hitlers, Eichmanns, Goebbelses, Goerings, Heydrichs, Himmlers, Hoesses and Mengeles of the FARC must see some jail time.
- ekianjo 10y ago> Plenty of Nazi scientists and war criminals were given amnesty in the US Let me remind you that ALL the Allies war criminals were also basically given amnesty everywhere, just because they were victors. if you think that's fair, well that's your call.
- ghostly_s 10y agoYou're alluding to the atomic bombings? Sorry, honestly not familiar with this argument.
- makomk 10y agoTorture, rape, mass executions of civilians and prisoners of war, the usual.
- yabatopia 10y agoThe atomic bombings are the most prominent examples, but there were also the horrible. 'conventional' bombings of German cities like Dresden.
- ekianjo 10y agoAnd fire bombing of most of Japan, knowing very well that they would torch hundred of thousands of civilians including women and children. And the ongoing killing of prisoners who surrendered (a US army speciality in the Pacific, no prisoners, just kill them all)
- maxxxxx 10y agoPlenty of high-ranking Nazis had good careers after the war and were not punished. In Germany and everywhere else. Look at Wernher von Braun, the "father of the moon rocket".
- ekianjo 10y ago> Plenty of high-ranking Nazis had good careers My point was that plenty (and the majority) of Nazis were killed during the war. You know, the ones who actually fought on the battleground. If we call the regim Nazi Germany and Hitler had more than 90% popularity, then you should assume that most of the fighters were Nazi as well. Which proves my point.
- repsilat 10y ago> You can't end a war without leaving the past behind. I found this article[1] on the idea well worth reading. The thesis is that long memories keep longstanding grudges alive, so the "forget" part of "forgive and forget" is itself important -- whatever that may say about respect for previous generations, leaving their battles behind can make your life better. 1: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/mar/02/cult-of-memory-when-history-does-more-harm-than-good https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/mar/02/cult-of-me...