Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Hitler so admired the Greek resistance

Hitler so admired the Greek resistance to the invading German army in WW2 that he ordered the release of all Greek POWs for "their gallant bearing".

While no one is really too quick to call him “Good Guy Hitler” in light of this, it’s certainly in stark contrast to nearly everything else he’s known for. In a speech made at the Reichstag in 1941, Hitler spoke on how he admired the Greek resistance
, saying “Historical justice obliges me to state that of the enemies who took up positions against us, the Greek soldier particularly fought with the highest courage. He capitulated only when further resistance had become impossible and useless."

Following that, Hitler ordered the release and repatriation of every single Greek POW. According to Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, Hitler’s Chief of Staff, Hitler "wanted to give the Greeks an honorable settlement in recognition of their brave struggle, and of their blamelessness for this war: after all the Italians had started it." Winston Churchill also chimed in on the Greeks, saying that Greeks don’t fight like heroes, but “heroes fight like Greeks.” Even FDR made a statement about the “courage and steadfastness” of the Greeks.

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