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Jeff,
I have a respect for all the average soldiers who fought in WWII (and other wars) also. I am definitely no Nazi lover, but to lump all Germans, all Japanese, all Russian, what next? All Italians were bad soldiers? All French? I don't think so. There were bad things done on both sides. Did the Axis do more? DEFINATELY! But to think them all evil you might as well say that the human race is evil.
I am an American, but my ancestors were English, French, German, Jewish, and Native American. I refuse to believe any one country or any one group of people are inherently corrupt or beyond being corrupted. The lesson of WWII should be that it's more than easy to bend a society this way and that. Beware of leaders promising 1000 year kingdoms... or a heaven filled with virgins. 
Steve,
You haven't commented here yet but I would imagine you won't be happy with my unilateral post deletion either. Sorry for that. I respect your opinion too. I may disagree on some levels with the idea that certain sacrifices are off-limits in war. I don't see how history (recent or past) proves that the case. But that is no matter. Your opinion is still a valid one.
All - Let's just try to keep it respectful. Otherwise the referee will step in and do his job. 
Cheers,
Jim
Jim,
All I did was to say that the SS was not comparable to today's U.S. Special Forces. I also said that I believe that American's, in particular American soldiers, do seem to have a special respect for life that looking back at other conflicts the Germans and Japanese did not seem to have. And, there are people still today that seem not to have this concern for people. We see it almost everyday.
I did not mention Vietnam, 9/11, etc. Certainly, I understand that unpleasant things must happen in war. But when the enemy starts to become seen as inhuman and lesser, what you may be fighting for has lost its meaning. This is exactly what happened with the Nazis...
And speaking of Nazis, its funny how when you see interviews of surviving German soldiers you never see one who admits to being a Nazi. Every one says 'hey, I just followed orders like a good soldier.' 'I hated Hitler but had no choice because I was serving the Fatherland.' I'd love just once to see some old guy get on the tube and tell me that he loved Hitler.
Same with the Japanese, never an apology for starting the most unnecessary war in history. My dad never forgave them while he was alive. He saw a lot of friends killed on some worthless beaches in the South Pacific.
Like you guys, I'm here because I like the military and their equipment, weapons, etc. I really doubt that would be the case if I hated war and soldiers and was some big 'peace lovin' hippee.' But, that dosen't mean I like killing and to see people suffer. And, if you study WWII and don't understand that aspect, that it was a tremendous waste, I think you are missing some very important lessons.
War is not a football game where you root for a team. What may happen soon in the Middle East is not going to be a fun event. There's a lot of hate in the World and a lot of suffering. There may be much more to come. Does that mean I think it's unnecesary? No, you have to do things to make the world safe. There will never be glory in a pile of dead people though.
Maybe if it was your family that was under the falling bombs you'd start to feel different about 'collateral damage' though. Americans have never really had to deal with the killing of tens of thousands of innocent civilians. Just because it happens to people half a world away does not lessen the tragedy for me. 9/11 was a small example of what happens when war is where you live. Imagine living with that everyday...
As far as the human race being evil. Personally, I don't believe in good or evil. But, if you look back through history you will see the world shaped by conflict and blood...
The original question was about the Nazis in Russia. Ulitimately, he Germans failed because they had twisted ideas of race and how people were. Not because of tanks or planes or bad weather. Their legacy should never be that of great and brave warriors fighting for their country. It will always be a legacy of monumental folly and wholesale slaughter.
Steve
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Publisher
