Malmedy, Belgium, 65 years ago today - Lest we forget

65 years ago today, during the last German offensive of the 2nd world war (Ardennenoffensive / Battle of the Bulge), around 90 captured American soldiers were shot by German troops:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malmedy_massacre


Picture from Wikimedia Commons: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Massa … 24a-1-.gif

By the way: contrary to what certain people believe (see Fox News lies to defend Nazis) the victims on that day were GIs, even in the likely case that there was some retaliation later on.

Very hard luck indeed for those (mostly) supply troops during the Battle of the Bulge.
And?..
Why not mention the civilians at Stavelot?

Allied Forces committed their share of atrocities both before and after Malmedy. Shall we commemorate the victims of those as well?
:ponder:

No worries, I haven’t forgotten.
I am Dutch and even though I was born way after the 2nd WW, I am grateful to speak Dutch and not German, we could have had a different outcome after all.

Even for people of my generation the history of that War is still very much alive. Off course this is also due to the fact that cemeteries of Allied Forces as well as German soldiers are scattered all over the South of Holland and Belgium. It always gives me pleasure to see these places are well maintained and respected.

May we never forget,

Frans Chen-Kunst

[quote=“TheGingerMan”]And?..
Why not mention the civilians at Stavelot?[/quote]

First of all I was trying to bring back to mind one single incident, which is historically notable because of being by far the biggest one of its kind on the western front. Apart from that, the Stavelot civilians being killed by the German troops happened ~ December 18th to 20th, and thus didn’t have their anniversary yet when I wrote the post. But I totally agree with you, there are millions of events that should best not be forgotten.

My personal opinion is that we should remember all victims. Even though this was for my understanding maybe the last war where the good and the evil sides were to be so easily distinguishable and so extremely different (at least in the west), I am convinced there were saints as well as sinners on both sides of the front lines.

Similar here. I am sure I wouldn’t have enjoyed my life and childhood in Germany that much if the outcome of the war had been different, and the ideology of those days prevailed until today.

[quote=“olm”][quote=“TheGingerMan”]And?..
Why not mention the civilians at Stavelot?[/quote]

First of all I was trying to bring back to mind one single incident, which is historically notable because of being by far the biggest one of its kind on the western front. Apart from that, the Stavelot civilians being killed by the German troops happened ~ December 18th to 20th, and thus didn’t have their anniversary yet when I wrote the post. But I totally agree with you, there are millions of events that should best not be forgotten.[/quote]

Sorry if I came across as accusative. I perhaps am a bit sensitive as I’ve endlessly heard for nigh on at least decades of historical anaylsis. What happened at Malmedy has been all twisted and turned to some other pretext. Any and every time some damn yank brings that up, I respond with the Rhine Meadows. Which involved far more complicity up the chain of command.

[quote][quote=“TheGingerMan”]
Allied Forces committed their share of atrocities both before and after Malmedy. Shall we commemorate the victims of those as well?
:ponder:
[/quote]

My personal opinion is that we should remember all victims. Even though this was for my understanding maybe the last war where the good and the evil sides were to be so easily distinguishable and so extremely different (at least in the west), I am convinced there were saints as well as sinners on both sides of the front lines. [/quote]
Well said. Such is nature of humanity. It should be added that: while, there are lifelong proponents of either side, at times the sinners can err well, and the saints err worse. Could be the fog or war, I know not.

Similar here. I am sure I wouldn’t have enjoyed my life and childhood in Germany that much if the outcome of the war had been different, and the ideology of those days prevailed until today.[/quote]

Not sure if I agree with you guys here, about the outcome. While I totally understand not wanting to be raised under a foreign power, especially one as foul and henious as Nazi Germany, i would suggest that the Nazis would have been worn down sooner or later. There’s only so much lebensraum one can concoct before one nails either unto the Angles, or the Russ. Especially in the age of empires? What were they thinking?
Thousand-Year-Reich? Those fuckers were even conning their own converts… How long would that last?