The prospect of German defeat animated resistance movements in every occupied country from western France to Russia, from Norway to Greece and the Balkans. The movements were aided by the allies and by the sheer crassness of Nazi occupation policy: in the east peoples who had greeted German forces as liberators from the oppression of Bolshevism had been turned into bitter enemies; even in the west naked exploitation and pillage, conscription for forced labour and the ruthless taking and shooting of hostages had bred hatred for the Herrenmenschen. Himmler and the SS were not alone to blame.
...more
