If someone was in the German army during WW2, does that make them a Nazi?

Question

I heard about something that a lot of Chinese and East Indian people were in the German army during WW2. So does that make those people Nazis?

I know it had to do something about the Germans didn't like the British because they tried to stop him, and wanted the East Indians to help the Germans because the English were still in India.

Answer 1

No.
If you were a Jew in a concentration camp, then you are a zionist nazi Jew!

Answer 2

The Nazi Party is Hitler's political party (National Socialist Labor's Party). Any member of this party is called a Nazi. However, many Germans serving in the military are never members of this party, and therefore are not Nazis. There are also government officials, diplomats, political figures, businessmen, and private citizens who are Nazis (for being members of the Nazi Party) but never serve in the German military.

It is also a fact that many German officers in the Army despised the Nazis within the military ranks because of the preferential treatment given to the Nazis, and the Nazi's prerogative to have direct access to higher military authorities, by bypassing their immediate superiors.

Rommel, Guderian, Heinrici, von Manstein are some of the famous German Generals who are not Nazis.
Goering, Himmler, Model, Keitel are Nazis.

It is a very common misconception to treat the whole German army as being Nazis.

Answer 3

Your grandfather fought in service of his COUNTRY, just like tens of millions of boys and young men in those horrible years. This does not make him or you a bad person. However, this is an area where many people will have difficulties seperating the experience of the individual being written about from the greater ethical/political implications of the time in which he lived. That is why they are having an emotional reaction to an academic endeavor. Your grandfather was a very young man who did his duty when called upon by his country. Take Germany out of the equation and substitute say the U.S. or Britain or even the Stalin's Soviet Union and would these people have objected? Would you have recieved a failing grade? The assignment needs to be judged on its merits, not people's personal feelings about the Nazi regime. That is the case you need to make. Just don't expect to change anything. In today's schools one can not present others with idea's that anyone in any way might find provocative or upsetting. Someone might get their feelings hurt and then it would be anarchy - cats and dogs living together and everything. We can't have people thinking THAT independently!

Answer 4

The Nazi party is like the Democrats or Republicans here in the states.

it was a political party and movement you signed up for.

actually there were Nazi political parties in most western nations including the US (Charles Limburg belonged for a while), Britain, France, etc...

In fact the Neo-Nazi movement of today is the last remaining shreds of the old US Nazi party.

also, just so you know there were Muslims who were in the SS ( they were used as a terror tool in Bosnia), the SS tried to establish forces in British colonies such as the Orient Korps (spelling?) but generally they were a failure.

Hitler actually did not want war with Britain or The US. He had hoped they would capitulate and allow him to deal with Russia. there was even a plot to have king Edward VIII returned the the English thrown because he supported Germany and the Nazi party.

But after the war it wa noted very few germans claimed to be Nazis....

Answer 5

Technically, the National Socialists, aka Nazis, were a political party in Germany. (Fans of democracy, please note: Hitler won the '33 election, fair and square.) You might or might not be a Party member, but if you were not, it was unlikely that you'd be able to be a high-ranking military or other government officer.

You didn't have to belong to any political party to get drafted into the German Army, and as in all wars, many nationalities served on all sides. In the case you cite, however, it would seem that these people were what you'd call German (or Nazi) sympathizers. Britain by that time had plenty of enemies, and thus sympathizers were recruited from nations who weren't thrilled with being occupied. This list included Ireland and, apparently, China and India. There were also a host of Nazi sympathizers in the Middle East, mainly Arabs enthusiastic about the Final Solution to everyone's Jewish problem.

Answer 6

Well Generals Like Rommel And His Afrika Korps Wernt Nazis But Hermann Goerings Panzer Division Were This Is Just Cos the Afrika Korps Didnt Have A CLue what was happenin cos they were in algeria

Answer 7

I personally don't think that makes them Nazis. A lot of people were in the army without knowing exactly what was happening. Also, a lot of people did not have a choice. Hitler's army gave people an option of "join us or die." People had no choice to assist Hitler's army, even if they didn't agree with what was being done.
F

Answer 8

no it doesnt only 10 percent of the german population was in the nazi party.

Answer 9

No more than it makes the people in the US forces today Republicans or Democrats.

Answer 10

"Nazi" is a derogatory term.