You just came to this realization? I think what you describe is exactly true. People did not know that it is medical routine to deny otherwise healthy bodies food and water in order to cause the bodies to die.
In fact, I'm still skeptical of the claim. But judging from the medical people posting here, I am rethinking my impression of medical "ethics."
It took me until yesterday to realize that people thought this was somehow "different". It's not.