Are the Germans really the bad guys.

[Vulkata II]

While the Germans of the 1st World War may get a worse rap because of the Nazis that doesn't make them good to be fair. While the Great War is a war of who is the least bad of the bunch Germany definitely comes near the top of the worst. The willingness to go into a war that looked bad on the outset, the destruction of Belgium, and their sometimes horrifying colonial policy before and during the war makes it clear that Germany was not the good guy or even just unfortunately forced by circumstance.

Yes indeed let's not forget that the Rape of Belgium happened.

Throughout the beginning of the war, the German army engaged in numerous atrocities against the civilian population of Belgium, including the destruction of civilian property; 6,000 Belgians were killed, and 17,700 died during expulsion, deportation, imprisonment, or a death sentence by court.[4] 25,000 homes and other buildings in 837 communities were destroyed in 1914 alone, and 1.5 million Belgians (20% of the entire population) fled from the invading German army.[5]:13

Well shit.

I didn't know that happened.

[Souseiseki]

Because SJWs and censorship.

you legitimately think the SJWs are more powerful than decades of propaganda from some of the best intelligence services in the world

please think about what this means

[Genivaria]

Yes indeed let's not forget that the Rape of Belgium happened.

Well shit.

I didn't know that happened.

For anyone looking for some in depth info on WW1 I'd highly recommend The Great War channel on Youtube.

[Heloin]

While the Germans of the 1st World War may get a worse rap because of the Nazis that doesn't make them good to be fair. While the Great War is a war of who is the least bad of the bunch Germany definitely comes near the top of the worst. The willingness to go into a war that looked bad on the outset, the destruction of Belgium, and their sometimes horrifying colonial policy before and during the war makes it clear that Germany was not the good guy or even just unfortunately forced by circumstance.

To be fair, even if they're that bad at least they weren't the first to use gas(though they did develop the dreaded mustard gas.)

If you think the French army is innocent or better yet the Allies from doing bad, they actually used gas.

I in no way stand and say the French or British Army were the good guys in that war. As I said it's a war of who is the least bad of the bunch. The now agreed upon harshness of the Treaty of Versailles seems to give rise to an idea that the Germans were somehow more innocent in the Great War than the other Powers. This has led to events such as the Rape of Belgium sometimes being downplayed or being denied. That's not even including the hundreds of thousands basically starved to death by Lettow-Vorbeck in East Africa almost never mentioned in history books.

Well shit.

I didn't know that happened.

For anyone looking for some in depth info on WW1 I'd highly recommend The Great War channel on Youtube.

Great channel for anyone interested in World War 1

[Vulkata II]

Well shit.

I didn't know that happened.

For anyone looking for some in depth info on WW1 I'd highly recommend The Great War channel on Youtube.

Oh you mean Indy Neidell and crew?

Actually I just wasn't aware of the civilian killings. I knew the French were the first to use gas or something like that from him(and Germany being the first to use Mustard gas)

[Camicon]

Being demonized and vilified for World War I is what led the victors to impose brutally unfair terms of surrender on Germany, which created the conditions necessary for the Nazis to rise to power. No, in the context of World War I the Germans are not the "bad guys". Everyone in World War I seemed to be of the "Honourable Stupid" alignment. Closely related to the "Lawful Stupid" alignment, the "Honourable Stupid" alignment is most notable for behaviour that would be considered good and honourable were the stakes not so high, with an undercurrent of stubborn stupidity governing every action after said honourable behaviour has passed.

In the context of World War II? Yeah, the Nazis are the bad guys. Even if a particular soldier wasn't personally involved with the Holocaust they were still fighting for a regime that was carrying it out, and were totally OK with conquering mainland Europe for "living space" and fuck anyone who got in their way. Nazi Germany was a very evil nation, and the people who fought for it were not "good people", no two ways about it.

[Australias (Ancient)]

The leaders were the bad guys but the people as a whole could not possibly be bad. People do not get born end start out as evil.

[Genivaria]

The leaders were the bad guys but the people as a whole could not possibly be bad. People do not get born end start out as evil.

Depends on which World War we're talking about.
I find it very easy to hold German civilians responsible when they look the other way as their neighbor gets hauled off by the Gestapo.

[Australias (Ancient)]

The leaders were the bad guys but the people as a whole could not possibly be bad. People do not get born end start out as evil.

Depends on which World War we're talking about.
I find it very easy to hold German civilians responsible when they look the other way as their neighbor gets hauled off by the Gestapo.

Most were ignorant and/or were either terrified or scared to speak out. Just because they didn't break out in revolutionary fervour does not make yoy guilty for allowing it to happen. Allowing crimes to happen does not make you guilty of said crime unfortunately.

[Vulkata II]

The leaders were the bad guys but the people as a whole could not possibly be bad. People do not get born end start out as evil.

Depends on which World War we're talking about.
I find it very easy to hold German civilians responsible when they look the other way as their neighbor gets hauled off by the Gestapo.

Heck some were even responsible on why the Gestapo was able to haul them off.

[Genivaria]

Depends on which World War we're talking about.
I find it very easy to hold German civilians responsible when they look the other way as their neighbor gets hauled off by the Gestapo.

Heck some were even responsible on why the Gestapo was able to haul them off.

*neighbor lets slip that your wife's maiden name is Jewish*
Thanks now both your wife AND children are gonna die.

[FelrikTheDeleted]

I find it very easy to hold German civilians responsible when they look the other way as their neighbor gets hauled off by the Gestapo.

I hardly think that's fair. Especially when considering that resistance would have likely caused some bad things to happen to you and your own family.

[Rusozak]

WW1 is under-portrayed in games a movies in general, and in those cases I have yet to see one where Germany or the central powers were portrayed as the obvious bad guys.

As for WW2, well... Nazi Germany was obviously bad, and it's a little bit of a sensitive subject to show the perspective of the same side that was responsible for the death camps, especially if it's a game where you're supposed to kill the enemy of whatever side you're playing. WW2 may not be so relevant to later generations, but to people that went through that shit, be it as soldiers or children in occupied countries, a game where you get to be the Nazis is like someone who lost a loved one on 9/11 seeing a game where you play as Al Qaeda.

[Democratic Exodian Territories]

WW1 is under-portrayed in games a movies in general, and in those cases I have yet to see one where Germany or the central powers were portrayed as the obvious bad guys.

As for WW2, well... Nazi Germany was obviously bad, and it's a little bit of a sensitive subject to show the perspective of the same side that was responsible for the death camps, especially if it's a game where you're supposed to kill the enemy of whatever side you're playing. WW2 may not be so relevant to later generations, but to people that went through that shit, be it as soldiers or children in occupied countries, a game where you get to be the Nazis is like someone who lost a loved one on 9/11 seeing a game where you play as Al Qaeda.

The Nazis were very much evil, but most of their soldiers weren't. When it comes to movies, Fury show the Wehrmacht fighting to protect their homeland, both the American and German sides valiant in the final battle, and even a young German soldier showing mercy to the American main character. In Dunkirk, a German soldier who presumably wants nothing to do with the Nazis sneaks into the group, posing as a British soldier and attempting to get to a place in the line. Books like All The Light We Cannot See portray German soldiers as just as patriotic as the Americans, but still maintain the Nazi officers as villains.
Even real-world battles, in particular the Battle for Castle Itter reveal the Wehrmacht even collaborating with U.S. soldiers to fight the Nazi Waffen-SS.So were all the Germans bad? Absolutely not.

[Genivaria]

WW1 is under-portrayed in games a movies in general, and in those cases I have yet to see one where Germany or the central powers were portrayed as the obvious bad guys.

As for WW2, well... Nazi Germany was obviously bad, and it's a little bit of a sensitive subject to show the perspective of the same side that was responsible for the death camps, especially if it's a game where you're supposed to kill the enemy of whatever side you're playing. WW2 may not be so relevant to later generations, but to people that went through that shit, be it as soldiers or children in occupied countries, a game where you get to be the Nazis is like someone who lost a loved one on 9/11 seeing a game where you play as Al Qaeda.

The Nazis were very much evil, but most of their soldiers weren't. When it comes to movies, Fury show the Wehrmacht fighting to protect their homeland, both the American and German sides valiant in the final battle, and even a young German soldier showing mercy to the American main character. In Dunkirk, a German soldier who presumably wants nothing to do with the Nazis sneaks into the group, posing as a British soldier and attempting to get to a place in the line. Books like All The Light We Cannot See portray German soldiers as just as patriotic as the Americans, but still maintain the Nazi officers as villains.
Even real-world battles, in particular the Battle for Castle Itter reveal the Wehrmacht even collaborating with U.S. soldiers to fight the Nazi Waffen-SS.So were all the Germans bad? Absolutely not.

"And it's the end of the line of the final journey! Enemies leaving the past, and it's American troops and the German Army, Joining together at last!"

[The East Marches II]

G*rmans must never be allowed to destroy Europe again, they are the ultimate baddies.

[Genivaria]

G*rmans must never be allowed to destroy Europe again, they are the ultimate baddies.

What about Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck?
This quote from him after capturing a British camp.

He also captured their camp, which, according to him, included “so much wine and schnapps that even with the best will in the world it was impossible to consume it all.”

[Kramania]

WWI Germany is unfairly tarnished.

But WWII Germany was really just that bad.

[The East Marches II]

G*rmans must never be allowed to destroy Europe again, they are the ultimate baddies.

What about Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck?

To quote Trump: He has to go back

[Kramania]

G*rmans must never be allowed to destroy Europe again, they are the ultimate baddies.

Spotted the Pole.

[Heloin]

G*rmans must never be allowed to destroy Europe again, they are the ultimate baddies.

What about Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck?

Amazing General, brilliant tactician, and much loved by those who served under him. Killed thousands of African civilians with his guerrilla campaign. He's a bit of a hit and miss.

[The East Marches II]

G*rmans must never be allowed to destroy Europe again, they are the ultimate baddies.

Spotted the Pole.

B T F O
T
F
O

[Genivaria]

Spotted the Pole.

B T F O
T
F
O

Or Slav, or Frenchman.

[Genivaria]

What about Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck?

Amazing General, brilliant tactician, and much loved by those who served under him. Killed thousands of African civilians with his guerrilla campaign. He's a bit of a hit and miss.

His soldiers seemed to like him.
And apparently they got their due aftwerwords.

In the year of Lettow-Vorbeck's death, 1964, the West German Bundestag voted to give back-dated pay to all surviving Askaris from the German forces of the First World War. A temporary cashier's office was set up in Mwanza on Lake Victoria. Of the 350 old soldiers who gathered, only a handful could produce the certificates that Lettow-Vorbeck had given them in 1918. Others presented pieces of their old uniforms as proof of service. The German banker who had brought the money had an idea: each claimant was asked to step forward, was handed a broom and was ordered in German to perform the manual of arms.[46] Not one man failed the test.[51]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_von_ ... eck#Legacy

[Democratic Exodian Territories]

The Nazis were very much evil, but most of their soldiers weren't. When it comes to movies, Fury show the Wehrmacht fighting to protect their homeland, both the American and German sides valiant in the final battle, and even a young German soldier showing mercy to the American main character. In Dunkirk, a German soldier who presumably wants nothing to do with the Nazis sneaks into the group, posing as a British soldier and attempting to get to a place in the line. Books like All The Light We Cannot See portray German soldiers as just as patriotic as the Americans, but still maintain the Nazi officers as villains.
Even real-world battles, in particular the Battle for Castle Itter reveal the Wehrmacht even collaborating with U.S. soldiers to fight the Nazi Waffen-SS.So were all the Germans bad? Absolutely not.

"And it's the end of the line of the final journey! Enemies leaving the past, and it's American troops and the German Army, Joining together at last!"

Holy sh*t, I love this song! Even though it's not my kind of music, I should probably listen to Sabaton more. I learned about the battle from a Simple History video.