[Avimimus]

Originally Posted by Splitter

Avivmimus, I agree. Nothing more to say except that the sins of the father cannot be visited upon the son. All of us that were "there" when something happened bare some responsibility, good or ill. Those not yet born...no, I can't say that.

I think I see where our disagreement is: I'm talking about "crime and responsibility" versus "crime and punishment".

If a bystander witnesses a crime, they may have some responsibility - if not to stop it, then to testify in court. Similarly, if someone sees a situation which could lead to crime, they have some responsibility to investigate it further and advocate changes that can help prevent it.

I think it was wise to only punish higher level NAZI party leaders and some of the worst war criminals at lower ranks. It is important to not let people get away with such crimes. I wouldn't advocate grabbing your average Hitler youth and fining them for having been a NAZI. However, I might ensure that they look at photos of what their regime had done.

I don't think a time will ever come where Germans can say that they no longer need to know about the Holocaust - that it is time to completely give up that guilt. Their society had an unusual experience and part of correcting that experience is learning from it. So all German's should take responsibility to help ensure such events can never happen again, anywhere.

I'm saying that I'm willing to share in this guilt and responsibility. With the last few people from that war passing on now, we're all bystanders.

Originally Posted by Splitter

If you go to war to protect people from oppression who cannot protect themselves, is that not justified? I would say that is maybe the best reason to go to war morally. If I knowingly let my neighbor be tortured and killed by some bad guy and never go to their aid, am I not "guilty" in some respect?

I think a distinction needs to be made between "necessary" and "just" or "good". There are times where it is necessary to go to war - there are times when it is even the right choice. But, the result is still horrible and evil.

In other words, it is possible to have a justified war, but not a just one.

Originally Posted by Splitter

So did this recon pilot somehow overreact in straffing retreating German troops? Did the pilot who landed his plane only to get out and shoot a downed German pilot because his family had been raped and killed by Germans overreact? Where the line is drawn is what is up for discussion....But I really don't think one should not be equated with the other.

Splitter

I don't think any war-crimes can ever be equated. Each one happened to different people. This is even true of each different crime in the Holocaust.