Originally Posted by Kesse81

One thing has always puzzled me.
How can it be that, especially Americans, consistently refers to everything German from WWII as Nazi. It´s always Nazi soldier and never German soldier.
I know that the Germans today find it inconsiderate.

Finland was forced by the Soviets to fight against Germany. But it was not until March 3, 1945 before Finland declares war on Germany

I believe it is simply common misconception. Believe it or not, there is a difference between a Nazi and a German Soldier. A German Soldier being someone who fought in the German war machine, whereas "Nazi" refers to the political party running the show. Although it is generally assumed that German Soldiers were Nazis, this is not always the case.

If you check, for example the media, then you will find that it´s not only individuals. but also other things that are designated Nazi.

Nazi submarine, Nazi aircraft and so on.
Just find it odd.

Originally Posted by Kesse81

If you check, for example the media, then you will find that it´s not only individuals. but also other things that are designated Nazi.

Nazi submarine, Nazi aircraft and so on.
Just find it odd.

Yes, why do you think that is? The media can manipulate the views of the public. Therefore the media pours out anti-Nazi propaganda. Which results people pouring more into the war effort; working harder at the factories, buying more war bonds. You cannot fight a war without supplies and money, and where do the supplies and money come from?

I can certainly understand the rhetoric used during the war.
But still to this day.

So because of what happened almost 70 years ago, you still this day use the term Nazi for everything German from back then

I know the Germans quite well. They are our neighbors and I frequently go to Germany. I am also often on exercises with the German Army.

Thanks guys, JOC, Kesse81 for your knowledge!

Another, if I may?
WWll...Alsace Lorraine??? I heard one side was German, the other French.
Thanks

Dadsgirl

Originally Posted by Kesse81

So because of what happened almost 70 years ago, you still this day use the term Nazi for everything German from back then

I know the Germans quite well. They are our neighbors and I frequently go to Germany. I am also often on exercises with the German Army.

Stop generalizing. You can't clump all of the people in the United States into such an incredibly simple generalization.

Originally Posted by Kesse81

One thing has always puzzled me.
How can it be that, especially Americans, consistently refers to everything German from WWII as Nazi. It´s always Nazi soldier and never German soldier.
I know that the Germans today find it inconsiderate.

In the west most of the atrocities were committed by the SS units (killing of civilians and POWs). The “Barbarossa jurisdiction Decree”, which exempted German soldiers from prosecution if they committed a crimes against Soviet civilians, meant a radical departure from traditional military conduct for the Wehrmacht.In the east the Wehrmacht (not the SS only) readily committed crimes against humanity. Since ~65% of the Wehrmacht fought in the east this makes a lot of regular German army party to some of the worst atrocities in history (a minimum of 15 million Soviet civilians were killed – murdered as a direct result of the German invasion, some historians put the figure at > 20 million). Of course this would make modern Germans (the vast majority who have had nothing to do with the war or the Nazi party) feel uncomfortable. However this is the history. I personally worked for Germans and have been to Germany and find them to be a friendly and unpretentious people. What more would you have me say about the modern day Germans (not Nazi’s).

Originally Posted by Kesse81

Finland was forced by the Soviets to fight against Germany. But it was not until March 3, 1945 before Finland declares war on Germany

On 4 September 1944 a ceasefire was agreed upon between Finland and the USSR, and the Moscow armistice was signed on 19 September. Finland ceded territories to the USSR, and to expel German forces from Finland proper.The Lapland war was fought afterword’s in which Finland reluctantly pushed the Germans out of northern Finland. This war was pushed on the Finns by the Soviets who were frustrated by the Finns lack of speed in expelling German forces.

The provinces have alternately been German and French in the past. They were part of the Holy German Roman Empire in about a thousand years until 1648, when it was ceded to France.

After the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, which France lost. Alsace and Lorraine were ceded to the new German Empire. France's desire to recapture the lost provinces, was the driving force behind the French foreign policy until the first world war and led to the establishment of the alliances that would isolate Germany. The provinces became French after WWI and again German 1940-1945, and since 1945 have been French again.

Originally Posted by crazytanker

Stop generalizing. You can't clump all of the people in the United States into such an incredibly simple generalization.

Just think it is striking.
I can see it on this forum.