Under the simplified view of WWII presented in schoolboy History lies a wealth of complexity, and some moral issues I personally find quite disturbing.
For example: faced with a war between Stalin and Hitler, why side with Stalin?
They very nearly didn't - the objectives of the Norwegian campaign were not only to deny Scandinavian resources to Germany, but also to channel support to Finland; and it seems that the French had a plan to attack Russia in the south, from Syria.
Later in the war, letting Russia fall to Hitler might have had even worse consequences than sending support to Stalin, though - a German victory in Russia would give them Russian resources and (at least the potential for) a vast manufacturing base far out of range of allied air power, not to mention a way into the middle east.
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-06 05:37 am (UTC)For example: faced with a war between Stalin and Hitler, why side with Stalin?
(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-06 06:03 am (UTC)They very nearly didn't - the objectives of the Norwegian campaign were not only to deny Scandinavian resources to Germany, but also to channel support to Finland; and it seems that the French had a plan to attack Russia in the south, from Syria.
Later in the war, letting Russia fall to Hitler might have had even worse consequences than sending support to Stalin, though - a German victory in Russia would give them Russian resources and (at least the potential for) a vast manufacturing base far out of range of allied air power, not to mention a way into the middle east.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-06-06 08:25 am (UTC)