VE Day. 65th Anniversary.

Von Smallhausen

Von Smallhausen

Von Smallhausen

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65 years ago today, nazi forces surrendered signalling the end of hostilities in Europe.

Watching veterans at Horse Guards Parade telling their stories certainly gives me a sense of pride, admiration and profound thanks for what they did and also for the some 500,000 British and Commonwealth troops who gave their lives during the most devastating conflict that humanity has endured.

In total, estimates are that around 70 million people died during the conflict.

It makes hung parliament worries seem irrelevant.
 
Von Smallhausen said:
65 years ago today, nazi forces surrendered signalling the end of hostilities in Europe.

Watching veterans at Horse Guards Parade telling their stories certainly gives me a sense of pride, admiration and profound thanks for what they did and also for the some 500,000 British and Commonwealth troops who gave their lives during the most devastating conflict that humanity has endured.

In total, estimates are that around 70 million people died during the conflict.

It makes hung parliament worries seem irrelevant.
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My respects to those who fought and died on both sides in the war.
 
That has made me think Tombstone.

I personally cannot give any respect to the likes of the Gestapo and SS who fought and died but I certainly can to the no doubt many Wehrmacht troops who found and died honourably.

I also wonder that had Col von Stauffenberg placed that other explosive charge in his briefcase that would not have been foiled by a table leg and taken Hitler out, would the Nazis have sued for peace in July 1944 ?
 
Von Smallhausen said:
That has made me think Tombstone.

I personally cannot give any respect to the likes of the Gestapo and SS who fought and died but I certainly can to the no doubt many Wehrmacht troops who found and died honourably.
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I agree generally with your sentiments, having said that I cannot agree entirely with it. There are many SS who I would give respects to, Rostock, Wittman to name just two, so afraid I cannot just blanket say SS.
 
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Von Smallhausen said:
That has made me think Tombstone.

I personally cannot give any respect to the likes of the Gestapo and SS who fought and died but I certainly can to the no doubt many Wehrmacht troops who found and died honourably.

I also wonder that had Col von Stauffenberg placed that other explosive charge in his briefcase that would not have been foiled by a table leg and taken Hitler out, would the Nazis have sued for peace in July 1944 ?
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If only eh? Thing's might be slightely different...you never know!!!

Happy VE Day...It's a shame all this election rubbish has taken over the media headlines and not had hardly any media coverage
 
I am very greatful for those who fought for my freedom. :)

The loss on both sides were terrible.


Interestingly, how does modern day Germany view this day? Do they celebrate the fall of Nazi Tyranny? Do they accept Hitler was a bad man? I ask because despite Stalin killing a lot of people, in Russia, he's seen as a good man.
 
Ricochet J said:
I am very greatful for those who fought for my freedom. :)

The loss on both sides were terrible.


Interestingly, how does modern day Germany view this day? Do they celebrate the fall of Nazi Tyranny? Do they accept Hitler was a bad man? I ask because despite Stalin killing a lot of people, in Russia, he's seen as a good man.
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An interesting question, I mean I don't consider Hitler to necessarily be a "bad" man, he did terrible things, but he also did some good things (although talk of the good is frowned upon as being incorrect as its "wrong" to suggest he did anything good. History.. written.. victors.. and all that). So I see him just as a man, rather than an inherently good man or indeed an inherently bad man.
 
bazaarboy said:
a slightly unusual opinion to have...
can you give an example of a truly bad person?
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I don't consider anyone to be an inherently bad person, I see the terms good and bad as comparative terms whereby something is only rated as good or bad when compared to something else. I can't think of anyone that has done nothing but bad in their lives and as such cannot give you the name of someone that I consider truly bad (likewise nor can I give you the name of a person who I consider truly good)
 
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bazaarboy said:
no disagreement there, eg: Hitler was very very bad compared to other people who elected not wage genocide...?
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Indeed he was "bad" compared to some people. Just as everyone is "bad" compared to some people and everyone is "good" compared to some people. It of course depends upon both the people being compared and the aspects of them you are comparing. Inherently though he was just a man, neither good nor bad, just like all everyone else :)
 
Tombstone said:
Inherently though he was just a man, neither good nor bad, just like all everyone else :)
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sorry but that's too zen for me. we're not comparing pasta sauces, snooker players or graphics cards here.
Hitler set in motion some of the worst atrocities ever committed in history. To say that his nature could somehow be defined as neither good nor bad means that the acts he ordered could also be seen as neither good nor bad??
 
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