A Poll--Was the war in the east a just and honorable cause?

I believe that almost all of the european nations feared the soviets in the east and wanted to get rid of them.

 

Yup, and alot of them looked to German, for an answer to that problem.

 

Any reading of "Mein Kampf" makes it abundantly clear that Hitler's campaign in Russia was simply a "land grab". As such it had more in common with Dark Age rather than modern wars. Although dressed up in ideological garb it was a simple war of conquest, with Russia's natural resources as the prize. That Hitler spent little effort on de-Stalinization, other than mass murder, of Russia speaks for itself.
To say that it was a "just crusade" to rid the world of communism misses the whole point. Hitler wished to rid the whole world of anyone that wouldn't let him have his own way. If the Bolsheviks had not been in power in Russia, Hitler would have presentred ideological arguments against any government it happened to have. He was, it must be remembered, also anti-democratic and anto-monarchist, while he destroyed any movement within Germany that could be seen as anti-nationalist, including all religious movements, the masons and anyone that wasn't "Aryan".
Essentially the war against Russia was an atavistic struggle for resources. A war for "lebensraum", just as he described in "Mein Kampf".

Chris Ray

 

I agree totally Chris

 

I have to admit, I have never read Mein Kampf, but know some of its contents. I know what you say is correct. I really wonder at how much we really see into this maniacs thinking?

I also have to wonder, that since that book is STILL in print, just whom is recieving its royalties?

 

no it was not.

 

Sorry but, I beg to differ. Barnes and Nobles carries Mein Kampf. As a matter of fact, they are carrying it and "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" as we speak, AND they are placed next to each other in their display at our local Barnes and Nobles.

Unless you are replying to someone elses post, then I apoligise for this posting.


[ 02 August 2001: Message edited by: C.Evans ]

 

Hitler's goal was to replace the tyrannical Soviet regime with his own tyrannical Nazi regime. Hitler wasn't trying to liberate the Soviet people: he simply wanted to oppress and exploit them himself instead of letting Stalin oppress and exploit them.

I don't see any way this can be framed as 'just and honorable.'

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gibson:
My post wasnt about condoning the racial superiority question, there are many examples of the so called 'Untermensch' (sp?) civilians following the Germans back on the retreat of 43 onwards to escape Stalin's regime and the Communist system.

Fascism isnt much better, but anyone who says that Stalin and the communists were the lesser of the two evils is fundamentaly wrong--over 30 million people lost their lives during the various Communist regimes throughout the U.S.S.R.'s history, not counting the suicidal battle casualties caused by Red Army commanders.

This, versus over 6 million due to the Nazi regime are practically uncomparable.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Soviet communist regime 1917-1990 (73 Years)
Nazi regime 1933-1945 (12 years)

Using your logic, capitalism is the worst killer ever. Killed definately more people during its time (starvation, poverty, wars etc..)

And before you blame Soviet Generals for wasting their soldier's lifes - well, who actually shot them: the Soviet Generals or the German Wehrmacht, invading Russia?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
This thread wasnt one to dive into the whole racial question and barbarism in the east by Germany,...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, let's just forget this part...this will throw a bad light on Nazi Germany, and we don't want to read such things, don't we?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
Hitler's fascism isnt to be taken lightly because it was awful too, but it was nothing compared to Soviet barbarism.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The 50+ m people killed due to Hitler's war will be glad to hear that.

BTW, wasn't "jewish plutocarcy" and "capitalism" (= GB, USA) also considered to be an enemy to Nazi Germany?

 

Back to the question:

"A Poll--Was the war in the east a just and honorable cause?"

No it wasn't. It is a commonly accepted fact among historians that Hitler's invasion of Soviet Russa ("BARBAROSSA") wasn't just a "normal" war (and of course not a 'just' war - please forget that "preventive attack"-BS), but a war of annilihation and looting in order to destroy bolshevism, to gain 'lebensraum' for Aryans (by looting and enslaving the slavic people and letting them die by the millions), to find a "final solution" for the Jewish 'problem', and last not least to force GB / USA into a friendly position towards "festung Europe".

I don't see too much honorable in this. Nor did the vast majority of Russians after their villages had been burned by German troops on thier retreat.

 

*bump*