this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2025
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[–] TheJesusaurus@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Occupying Germany during WW2 was a war crime?

[–] redundantgrouch@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 months ago

Note the lack of a comma between the part about France and Germany.

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Although policies against fraternization were instituted for the Americans in Germany, the phrase "copulation without conversation is not fraternization" was used as a motto by United States Army troops. The journalist Osmar White, a war correspondent from Australia who served with the American troops during the war, wrote:

After the fighting moved on to German soil, there was a good deal of rape by combat troops and those immediately following them. The incidence varied between unit and unit according to the attitude of the commanding officer. In some cases offenders were identified, tried by court martial, and punished. The army legal branch was reticent, but admitted that for brutal or perverted sexual offences against German women, some soldiers had been shot – particularly if they happened to be Negroes. Yet I know for a fact that many women were raped by white Americans. No action was taken against the culprits. In one sector a report went round that a certain very distinguished army commander made the wisecrack, 'Copulation without conversation does not constitute fraternisation.'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Germany

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_during_the_liberation_of_France

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago

The concept of a war crime is peak 21st century delusional thinking. We love to take things that are inherently bad, such as murdering a whole bunch of people from another country, and pretend that if you do it just right then it's totally fine. We give up on a permanent solution in favor of a minor tweak that does a better job of making the people doing bad things feel justified in their actions than it does in reducing harm.

See also: fossil fuel production, wealth inequality, money in politics, gerrymandering, slave labor, etc.