It’s true that the Nazi’s could never have destroyed all the Jews. But it is a good thing that the U.S. did not take the position that the Nazis would inevitably fail and could therefore be ignored even as they deported Jews to death camps and invaded European nations. The regime could have lasted much longer, and done much more evil, had it not been actively fought against.
Yes it is indeed a blessing that the Nazi regime in Germany did not last any longer than it did. That said, it is important to note that, Had Germany been satisfied with the borders established prior to 9/1/39, that is prior to the outbreak of war…Only those Jews within said territory would have been at risk. And the question would need to be asked - Would any of the Allied Powers who participated in WW II have gone to war because the Germans were oppressing and killing the Jews in Germany?
I think that if you examine the history of these things in other countries you will find that the answer is almost always. No.
We have to be careful in these kinds of discussions to make sure that we do not compare Apples and Oranges. The U.S. is a secular power, not bound by the rules of Canon Law. As such it’s reasons to participate or not in any given war, or the methods it Chooses to use in prosecuting a war are entirely it’s own.
As to the US and the Jews in Europe…it should be noted that the U.S. was one of several nations who refused to accept a shipload of Jews leaving Germany and as a consequence they were forced to return there. Further, the U.S. was quite extensively divided over entering the war even though Roosevelt was working in every way he legally could to keep us aligned with England and France. However, in the end it required an overt Act by Japan to bring us into the war - AND it should be noted that the U.S. declared war on Japan ONLY - that is until Germany declared war on the US on Dec 11 and the U.S. reciprocated.
As a final comment on the Nazis and the war, just as it was. It should be noted that the military defeat of Germany and it’s Nazi regime has not destroyed either Nazism as an ideology or Antisemitism. This is part of what I mean about not being able to defeat evil with the tools of evil…the regime is gone but the evil persists.
The suffering and persecutions and deaths caused by Communist regimes in the 20th century have outdone the atrocities of previous centuries. I sometimes wonder whether a more forceful resistance at their beginnings, for example in 1917 Russia, would have prevented some of the carnage.
Indeed - the “What if’s” of history are fascinating.
The bottom line and the point I was making is that when we speak of destroying “The Church” we cannot simply speak in terms of the death of individuals. No matter how oppressed and persecuted the Church might be in one region, it will continue to flourish both in the region of oppression (underground) AND in those ares where they are not oppressed. The Jews and WW II are but the most obvious example of this principle.
History teaches that evil, oppressive regimes do not survive the long haul. They collapse under their own destructive weight.
Many had, do and will suffer under such evil, but as someone once said, the Blood of Martyrs are the seeds of the Church…(or something like that).
Peace
James
P.S. I apologize to anyone reading this if my comments above strike them as cold or unfeeling. I do not intend them as such.
