London Riots - OR - What's your favourite thing about Hitler?

[NsMn]

So, the Nazis caused the bombings (which is way too simplified), but the German commoners had to pay for it?

[Tuomas]

and in Japan it was the children that caused the bombings?

[Atelier]

My favourite thing about Hitler is that he drastically reduced unemployment in Germany, established Volkswagen, his paintings revealed talent, and he was a gifted orator. Also Mein Kampf is an extraordinarily interesting book.

It's a shame his passion and charisma were misguided from the onset, as he could have done great things. He turned Germany into a phoenix which rose from the ashes of WWI. Anyway the symbols of Nazi Germany are still somewhat sinister, (rightfully or not, as endless pages have discussed prior), but no they won't always be. The World Wars will never be forgotten but yes over time their relevance to the modern (or future as the case may be) world will be increasingly less. Perspective: 1066 is still a famous date in England but no grudges are held. I only dislike the French because they don't know how to form queues. I cannot WAIT to party at Pevensey on the 1000th anniversary lol.

It's difficult to compare an isolated invasion to a whole world war, but that's the point, we don't have any reference points, WWII being the most cataclysmic war in human history. In 1000 years, will the symbols of Nazis be taboo? Or the things they did? I don't think so. Right now though it's acceptable for them to be - it's still modern history and scars still remain, in memory, culture, and the Cold War was spawned off Nazi Germany's defeat, which is more evidence the echoes of WWII are still very much present. A phantom of the war in the Pacific is that Japanese babies are still being born deformed today. Seriously WHAM you're a funny person who's made a couple of awesome games but you could afford to be a bit more tactful - not many people would think of anything other than Nazism when you use the terms Sieg Heil or 'final solution'. And btw the latter term is actually an official Nazi term, coined by the Nazis:

the German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler termed it "the final solution of the Jewish question" (German: die Endlösung der Judenfrage).

So. Hitler takes a lot of the wrap but cannot be entirely blamed for WWII (obviously he was ultimately instrumental in it occurring). Don't forget the Nazi party existed and held anti-Semitic views long before Hitler came into the scene (and Jews weren't the only ones persecuted - black people, homosexuals, gypsies, spastics). Nope, it wasn't solely Hitler's fault. It was Himmler, Goebbels, Heydrich, von Schirach (an interesting one highlighting indoctrination), etc... etc... etc... right down to the person pouring Zyklon B into the hatch, right down to the common Kraut with the gun. The women and children too? They definitely didn't pull a trigger. Oh wait... the boys probably did on Hitler Youth camps. The children were too young to know any different - or just parroted their parents' views. My point is, anybody who says that a baby in a cot is responsible solely because their father is fighting must be joking! Sure, they would have grown up to fight just like their father, or been brought up to be a good house-wife just like their mother, either way believing it is for the good of the Father land. But in no way are they responsible for decisions that had been made before they were born. Let's extend that shall we? In no way should anybody feel personally ashamed of the war, wherever their parents/grandparents allegiance lay.

[Calin Leafshade]

The blitz was a strategic bombing campaign again military centres.

The bombing of dresden was an obliteration of a largely cultural city with little to no strategic value.

[Atelier]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baedeker_Blitz

Wasn't there also a carnival on in Dresden at the time? Which makes it more... tragic, if the word fits.

[Tuomas]

I must say, that ateliers beautiful, even cheesy words are the best this thread has come up with in a long while.

[Deloria]

The bombing of Dresden was pointless and tragic. I'm so glad most of the stunning architecture could be rebuilt using original plans. Though things like the Zwinger look impressive and amazing and glorious (and yes, heartbreaking) as ruins as well.