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No one suffered more from World War II than children. Much of the reason for this was German genocidal policies in occupied countries, especially in the East. Children also suffered in the strategic bombing campaign. No one inolved their childrn more in the War than the NAZIs. Thisraises the question, is the moral prohibition on bombing civilians changed when the country uses children to further the War effort. Here there are differnt levels of envolvement. The Japanese marched whole school classess into war plants to produce a materials. The NAZIs used children more directly in the War effort to man anti-aircraft guns around war plants. The NAZIs also inducted children and old men into the army and used them to procecute the War. There are also incidents of children being used to carry out war crimes--although the incidents we are aware of were conducted under adult supervision. Here we have to operate that under the assumtion that children because of their age have dominished responsibility for their actions. To the soldiers and civilians affected by their actions, however, such destinctions may be difficult to accept.
No one suffered more from World War II than children. It was Jewish children that suffered the most in the Holocaust as they were targeted by the NAZIs and were defenseless. The NAZI assault on children was not limited to Jewish children. Many of the deaths of children during the War resulted from genocidal NAZIs policies in occupied countries, especially in the East. While the NAZIs targeted some children with death, others wer targeted for kidnapping and Eindeutschung . Children also suffered in the strategic bombing campaign.
No one inolved their childrn more in the War than the NAZIs. This raises the question, is the moral prohibition on bombing civilians changed when the country uses children to further the War effort. Here there are differnt levels of envolvement. The Japanese marched whole school classess into war plants to produce a materials. The NAZIs used children more directly in the War effort to man anti-aircraft guns around war plants. A Dutch reader tells us, "The NAZIs also inducted children and old men into the army and used them to procecute the War. It is true that at that time German boys were trained as soldiers and that they later on were forced to defend the Fatherland in the Volkssturm alongside old men." I think that most of them were scared to death and wished they were home with mother." Here I think our Dutch reader is quite right. There were also Hitler Youth boys among the most fervant Volksstrum fighters in the final months of the War. There are also incidents of children being used to carry out war crimes--although the incidents we are aware of were conducted under adult supervision.
Here we have to operate that under the assumtion that children because of their age have dominished responsibility for their actions. To the soldiers and civilians affected by their actions, however, such destinctions may be difficult to accept.
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