[sinsofsolarempirefan]

Not true, it was Germany who invented the modern welfare state. Bismark introduced welfare and public healthcare in the 1870s in order to appease the socialists who were becoming an increasing threat the old Prussian autocratic order of things.

[Amberdawn]

You are correct. I also doubt the idea that the dying off of the “old” people will transform German youth (what there is of them) into free enterprisers.

[cloudmountain]

I didn't say that Germany didn't invent modern warfare. Please stop putting words in my mouth.
I was talking in VERY general terms about the Germans and I got MY information from the Germans. But, then, what do THEY know about their own military? YOU are the "expert" on German warfare, obviously. NO ONE else on the planet knows as much as YOU do about German warfare...not even the Germans. I've been to Germany two DOZEN times, learned "ein wenig Deutsch" and don't need a lecture on them.

My father was in North Africa during WWII (Rommel--the Desert Fox)--then Anzio. He never lectured anyone, ever, about the Germans. He RARELY mentioned it. It was something HE wanted to forget. Why would he not want to forget it?
My mother went through it as the wife here at home. She didn't want to discuss it either. Why would she?
In others words, SAVE your lecture for someone who cares about your opinion of WWII. I don't. Ich danke Ihnen sehr.