75ZT Community

I've been watching all day, on and off, the broadcasts from Normandy, an area I love to visit. Very moving and wonderful to see the international goodwill shown- although no smiles from President Putin. What a pity that President Obama, who otherwise really excelled and knows how to play the crowd, saw fit to be chewing gum every time the camera was on him. One would have thought that his advisors would do just that- advise.

If ever there is a WWIII then probably the counsellors will outnumber the troops.

Only saw part of the broadcast but yes, very moving. Interestingly on local BBC (Lincs and E Yorks) last night they spoke to members of the Grimsby Normandy Association - which was the founder branch. They had a request from an ex German soldier asking to join as he had been there. They thought about it and concluded 'why not'.

Yes, its interesting to consider the 'other side' as it were. My FiL and his brother were in the Wehrmacht because they would have been executed if they refused to join (they had lived in the annexed part of Poland) while their half brother was in the RAF.

Enjoy is the wrong word but I find Hitler to have been an excellent orator who could bring a crowd to a frenzy and get his supporters firmly behind him. I wonder what would have happened if a German said 'I am a conscientious objector'. Towards the end Germany was bringing effectively young boys and older men in to the army. So within the forces would have been troops who did not want to fight and may have seen the war as being wrong. No doubt many troops were glad to surrender but no doubt told by their commanders that they would be executed.

A German friend who was born towards the end of the war is extremely embarrassed by the war and will not talk about it.

Merkel said that Germany losing liberated the country. Seems a shame that, as far as I am aware, do not honour their dead.

Duncan, for your in laws and those in a similar position it must have been very difficult for them fighting on opposing sides.