Again, the Pope clearly describes war crimes being committed, but without specifically naming either the criminal Nazis and Soviets, or their chief victims, Poles and Finns.
One is left to wonder why.
Still and all, charges that the Pope was somehow "silent" in the face of evil are obviously not the case, at least not so far...
Indeed Americans, then as now, would not be dragged into war in some morally ambiguous situation, where right and wrong were not clearly spelled out.
So the Pope's words, even if not as pointed as some historians might wish, still helped many Americans begin to understand that the war was NOT morally ambiguous, and that such serious wrongs could not be set right by mere half measures.
Notice also the Pope holds out no false hopes or rosy scenarios. He clearly says the worst is yet to come.
One wonders if even he could then imagine how much horribly worse it would eventually get...
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 207 March 25, 1940
French PM Reynaud writes to British War Cabinet, proposing various courses of action such as Churchill’s idea to mine Norwegian coastal waters or attacking Soviet shipping and oil production. Chamberlain is horrified at the idea of any attacks on USSR, assessing Reynard as desperate to do something to justify his new role.
At 5.40 AM, U-47 sinks Danish steamer Britta 30 miles North of Scotland (13 lives lost). 5 survivors are picked up by Danish steamer Nancy and landed at Swansea, Wales. http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/302.html
At 8.11 PM, U-57 sinks British steam tanker Daghestan (7600 tons crude oil) 9 miles east of Orkney Islands (3 lives lost). 29 survivors are picked up by armed anti-submarine trawlers HMS Northern Wave & HMS Brontes and landed at Lyness, Orkneys. Daghestan is being escorted to to Sullom Voe after being damaged in German air attacks on convoy HN20.
British government forbids captured servicemen from participating in propaganda radio broadcasts for the enemy.