Simply Amazing..

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#1

This is an amazing subject that I’ve recently took a liking too. My grandfather was in WWII, he’s always told me stories and such but I never paid much attention until I’ve actually been on here reading your posts :slight_smile: You have opened my eyes on some of these very important times!

However, there are a few things I don’t understand…that confuse me a bit. Could someone maybe help me figure it out? I’m assuming all you know quite a bit about the subject! :slight_smile:

What role did racist and nationalistic ideas and motivations play in World War II for both the Axis Powers and the Allies?
How did racist beliefs and nationalistic prejudices shape the course of the war and war activities?
Did these influences help or hinder the combatant countries’ prosecution of the war?
Did such influences produce rational policy or not?
IF you could give me some examples to help me it would be great. I’ve recently purchased a book and been trying to read up on it, but these few questions I have are still stumping me.

#2

Ya, and while your at it, don’t forget to ask about the foreign infulences, the specific number of minorities in ww2 per alpha listing in chronological order and lastly the dollar value of training needs as it corelates with the war activities per county on a bi-quarterly average in dollars and British pounds and perhaps Australian Krugerands, …

#3

Funny you should ask, I was just reading a new book I just got, it is a memoir type book about an Infantryman who was in Patton’s 3rd Army, and it had several mentions of racial fights between black and white troops while stationed in England. One was about in the states over showers, the whites wanted to shower first but the blacks had gotten there first with more men and whipped the whites, one or more white soldiers came back with automatic weapons and shot up the showers and several of the black GI’s in them. The one that got the whole of the 5th Division shipped to Ireland from England 9 weeks early was a huge fight where 20 something men, both black and white were killed. Also when in Ireland they learned about Northern Irish and Southern Irish. The writer was Catholic and experienced first hand some of the prejudices of the Protestant Irish people. He was welcomed into their home on a leave and was hero worshipped by their two daughters til they found out he was Catholic, then they all looked at him like he was Hitler’s sidekick. Also Southern Ireland was free, and was not at war with Germany and they thought that they were probably stationed where they were to keep the Germans from invading Ireland and having a foothold and back door to England. Churchill wanted airbases and ports in Southern Ireland but they wouldn’t buckle under and some even thought that they would get a better deal from the German’s if they won. All this was prejudice between Catholic and Protestant…

#4

As the war progressed i think the biggest swing of racial policy had to be commited by the Nazi goverment.
For the country where racial purity had been made into law, by the end of the war they had everyone fighting for them. Some of the list of nations included facist englishmen fighting in the SS hindu’s captured in north africa and maning Anti Aircraft guns. poles russians you name it.Although we are talking minoritys they were still there.
As far as the Irish republic as it is known as yes there were IRA members working actively with the German goverment not only acting as spies but as fifth columists working in the UK mainland.I can understand the writer feeling predudice at being a catholic this had to have happened in Northern Ireland.As no allied troops of any nation were allowed to be stationed in the Irish republic who were trying to stay neutral during the war in addition the protestant religion was the majority in Northern Ireland compared with catholics in the Irish republic being the majority.

#5

Sorry Hawkeye but Southern Ireland or Eire as the country is known was free from what? Political and religous arguments aside it was a soverign country and Northern Ireland was (and still is) part of the United Kingdom. The President of Eire actually was on of few that recognised the Doenitz government although she remained neutral throughout the war.

#6

It, Southern Ireland, was free in that it and it’s govenment were not controlled by England. They were not at war with Germany. Churchill tried unsuccessfully to get them to join the fight but they never did.

I really don’t understand your question since you answer it in the rest of your post…

Yes, he was quartered in Northern Ireland and troops were strictly forbidden to even travel to Southern Ireland. He did although make expeditions into Northern Ireland to obtain “unwatered down” booze. He had a deal worked out with the locals and he traveled in uniform, they tried to get him to wear civvies but he didn’t want to get shot as a spy.