Why did Nazi Germany honour the Generva Convention?

[Dr Strangelove]

Remember that Hitler suffered gas poisoning in WW1. He may have been deathly afraid of gas warfare. It also should be pointed out that his CO was Jewish. I wonder if some of his venom against Jews might have been a by product of resentment of his commander.

The Soviets didn't get much territory from Japan because of their part in the war against Japan. They got part of a desolate island and some territory around Vladivostock. However they were able to link up with Mao's army when they invaded northern China and they donated a huge stash of military equipment to the PRA.

[David Floyd]

The Soviets wanted political influence more than land in Manchuria/Korea - absolutely, DS.

[Dr Strangelove]

Well, putting mao in power definitely increased their influence - for awhile.

[David Floyd]

Yeah, but I was also thinking about Korea, and of course they WANTED an occupation zone in Japan, as well as blue water ports for their navy.

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by germanos


I guess Ignorance is a bless at times

Well, as WW2 progressed, American troops prefered occupation duty in Germany by far, and found the Germans to be remarkably similiar to them in mannerisms. They were industrious in taking the intiative to rebuild their cities and behaving well.

As opposed to THE FRENCH(tm) who seemed to only agree that the allies needed to give them more money.

[Ned]

I think you guys are reading a lot of propaganda into what was very simple. Hitler abided by his legal obligations under the Geneva conventions. Whenever he strayed from them, it was because the allies violated one of their obligations first.

[Bosh]

Originally posted by Ned
I think you guys are reading a lot of propaganda into what was very simple. Hitler abided by his legal obligations under the Geneva conventions. Whenever he strayed from them, it was because the allies violated one of their obligations first.

So fencing in thousands and thousands of Russian POWs with barbed wire and letting them starve to death on the bear earth is in keeping with the Geneva Convention? That's interesting...

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by notyoueither
Honest question. How did your family find out the circumstances of his end?

The rest of the crew surivived, rescued by the Nazis, ironically enough.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Boshko

So fencing in thousands and thousands of Russian POWs with barbed wire and letting them starve to death on the bear earth is in keeping with the Geneva Convention? That's interesting...

The Soviets were not signatories to the Geneva Conventions. As such, Hitler had no legal obligations to them.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Ned
Hitler abided by his legal obligations under the Geneva conventions. Whenever he strayed from them, it was because the allies violated one of their obligations first.

Hitler engaged in terror bombing in Bilbao and Warsaw. He was the first to violate when he thought he could get away with it.

DF, according to the Japanese, it was the Soviet declaration of war that brought about the surrender. That was when they realized that continued resistence was futile. They were prepared to be bombed. I mean, really, was dropping an atomic bomb once a month really that big a threat, when we could fire bomb them daily?

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Ned


The Soviets were not signatories to the Geneva Conventions. As such, Hitler had no legal obligations to them.

The Geneva Conventions applied to the countries that signed it.

The agreement did not say you can't do this to a signatory country, but feel free to commit atrocities against countries that have not signed it.

Whether Russia signed it or not is not relevant.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by self biased


harr harr harr.

your momma

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
Well, putting mao in power definitely increased their influence - for awhile.

The Soviets did not put Mao into power.

In fact, the Soviets supported Chiang and the KMT from about 1937 until the end of the Chinese Civil War. Stalin perceived Mao as being a dangerous renegade.

When the Soviets invaded Manchuria, they initially allowed the CCP to step in as a temporary civilian government, mainly because the KMT was in no position to move in. But the Soviets delayed their withdrawal during 1946 so that the KMT could move troops to the north.

Chiang wanted his own troops in Manchuria and refused to allow other non-communist troops into the area. With the help of the US, Chiang's troops are airlifted and shipped to Manchuria where they eventually take control of the major cities. But its too late, the CCP is established itself in the countryside.

More importantly, local militias joined the CCP bring their equipment with them. The CCP was also able to take control some, but not all of the war supplies left by the Japanese.

In short, the idea that the Soviets gave the PLA equipment on a silver platter is false.

[Ted Striker]

Cool history!

I've always wondered about how the Chinese/US/Soviet angle went in Manchuria.

In our history books it usually gets 1 sentence of mention, but usually it's never mentioned at all.

[germanos]

Originally posted by Albert Speer
Yes. The Soviets invaded Manchuria in 1945 to get some territory in the East before the Americans over-ran Japan. Previously, the Japanese made great efforts to keep the border with the Soviets peaceful.

It was in the best interest for both the USSR and Japan to keep their border quiet, for various reasons.

The Yalta conference discussed the course to take now that Nazi-Germany was on it's knees. One of the agreements made was that three months after V-E day, the Soviet union would attack Japan. And so they did.