IN MAY 1945, the German army, known then as the Wehrmacht, issued a final statement acknowledging its defeat after “almost six years of heroic fighting,” during which “The German soldier, true to his oath, has in the service of his nation achieved feats that will never be forgotten.” The statement, which of course leaves out quite a lot, concludes thus: “The dead compel us to unconditional loyalty, to obedience and discipline toward the Fatherland, bleeding from countless wounds.”Read full article >>