Reading this now, and it strikes me as all the things I should have been taught about the Nazis beyond just the enormity of their cruelty:
Most important of all, how often just a little pushback stopped them stupid.
A student strike in German-occupied Belgium was enough pushback to stop the enforcement of the extradition of Jewish people there.
Italy, an ally at the beginning, would just say they would extradite their Jewish population, then not actually do it, in a loop, leaving the Germans frustrated simply by being lied to to their face and incapable of making progress.
You’re left with a picture of a bunch of bureaucrats following orders who are incapable of comprehending disobedience nor knowing how to handle it.
Reading this now, and it strikes me as all the things I should have been taught about the Nazis beyond just the enormity of their cruelty:
Most important of all, how often just a little pushback stopped them stupid.
A student strike in German-occupied Belgium was enough pushback to stop the enforcement of the extradition of Jewish people there.
Italy, an ally at the beginning, would just say they would extradite their Jewish population, then not actually do it, in a loop, leaving the Germans frustrated simply by being lied to to their face and incapable of making progress.
You’re left with a picture of a bunch of bureaucrats following orders who are incapable of comprehending disobedience nor knowing how to handle it.