[Sideshow Bob]

All things considered, the Germans got off easy.

Yes, real easy.

Their agriclutural & industrial base was destroyed, millions were displaced from their homes and dispossesed of their personal property, their country was occupied and divided, with portions parceled out to other nations and nearly 1/3 of the country enslaved by Soviet communisim.

On a more personal level, my father's family was a pacifist, German Mennonite farming family living in the East Prussian province of Germany (now Poland). My four great-uncles were conscripted against their wishes and religious convictions into the Bundeswehr and killed during the war.

As the Soviets advanced, my father's family fled their farm abandoning their home, nearly all of their possessions and remaining livestock and produce (whatever hadn't already been pillaged by the retreating German army). As my family fled on back country roads the German army shanghaied my grandfather, who was 38 years old and just 4'10", not to be seen or heard from again for nearly 3 years.

After the Russians rolled through, resident Poles attacked all German civilians. My grandmother and her 4 children were beaten by these resentful Poles and had their remaining horse, wagon and personal possessions stolen and/or destroyed.

With little money and just the clothes on their backs, my grandmother and her 4 children - aged 2, 3, 7 & 9 - traveled across hundreds of miles of battle-scarred German countryside on foot. She worked day labor jobs wherever she could or begged for food for her children. She has only hinted at improper things she may have done to feed and house her children (and I really don't want to ask). They slept in ditches, sheds or barns for more than 2 months before reaching a relative's home for shelter in what became the Western occupied zone.

Like tens of thousands of homeless German civilians, my family was eventually relocated to a Displaced Persons camp run by the US Army, where my grandfather found them a year later.

So other than the deaths, the loss of real estate, all personal possessions, personal liberty and possibly virtue, the beatings, the starvation, the family separation, the poverty and illness - yes, my German family got off pretty easy.

Think next time before you say something galactically stupid.

[Antoninus]

So other than the deaths, the loss of real estate, all personal possessions, personal liberty and possibly virtue, the beatings, the starvation, the family separation, the poverty and illness - yes, my German family got off pretty easy.

This story is far from unique. It's estimated that some 4-5 million German civilians were killed during the Russian push into Germany in '44-'45. But nobody cares about them. After all, since they were Germans, they MUST have been guilty of something.

[Poohbah]

Compared to what the German Army and SS did to civilians in Poland and the Soviet Union...Germany did not get nearly as bad as it gave.

[af_vet_1981]

My four great-uncles were conscripted against their wishes and religious convictions into the Bundeswehr and killed during the war.

They fought for Nazi Germany and died.

The German people of that generation bear the responsibility for the rise and reign of Adolph Hitler.

There were righteous Germans who resisted the evil. We don't know every story. There were victims of every nation.

[Michael121]

Actually you are right and wrong. Sorry about what your family went through but it was Hitler and his minions who would not quit.

What was destroyed was. It was war and total war. Yes a lot of bombs killed a lot of people.

The 101st and 82nd on attacking in Normandy sent 13 and 14 year old Hitler youth back, they took their weapons and kicked them in the butt. But the kids would find their units and fight again. The second time a US squad met that kid they shot him. American soldiers were compassionate to a point.

But in all the books from all the personal accounts I have read and vets I have talked to the Soldiers had respect for the German people. They would start picking up when the battle was over. The US soldier had NO RESPECT for the Frenchies. Overall they said the Germans just took it and did not complain when a chicken was killed etc... but the Frogs had a fit.

Japan showed that it was all or nothing. 184,000 people died as a result of 2 A-Bombs. 120,000 died on Okinawa alone. 12,000 American soldiers on Okinawa were casualties. it was always 10-1 in the US favor. 70 Marine casualties, 700 dead Japanese. With possibly 1,000,000 US casualties during the Japan invasion it was about saving our boys lives.

It was the same with Germany. Massive firepower overwhelming force against the Germans. Expend ammo instead of lives.