Quote:
Originally Posted by Beninho
I’m not trying to get pulled back into this thead but just wanted to point out some historical inaccuracies here. The US and Canada did not join World War 2 to stop the Holocaust or help the Jews. The US joined as a response to Pearl Harbor, protection of national interests throug countering the threat made by the Axis Powers. Canada joined out of loyalty to the British and opposition to Nazi aggression. Both the US and Canada rejected Jewish immigration in the leadup to the Holocaust, Canada in particular let in some of the fewest of the allied countries. There were several instances of the US and Canada rejecting boats of Jewish immigrants and sending them back to Europe. One Canadian official even said publicly in reference to Jewish immigrants that “None was too many”. World War 2 and the worlds lack of help for the Jews is a key point many Jews raise when arguing the case for Israels existence. The premise that world war 2 was fought to “save the Jews” is a historical fallacy, the allies were not doing the Jews a favour like someone else implied. One out of every 3 European Jews were killed, the Allies restricted Jewish immigration, and they all entered the war for mainly their own self interests. It is hard for me to see what favour was handed to the Jews who suffered in the Holocaust.
That being said your grandfather is still a hero in my eyes but both Canada and the US did not join the war to save the Jews. In my opinion neither cared very much about the plight of the Jews in Europe at the time. I would argue it was relatively low on the reasons to join the war from either country. I’d argue the allied powers were willing to let Hitler do whatever he wanted with the Jews in Nazi territory and it was only the breaking of the Munich Agreement and the above reasons I mentioned that got the Allied powers to join the war. Jewish suffering was not a reason, Jews had suffered in Europe for a millennium and the world did not care. So I encourage you to reconsider your last point that its a ridiculous statement. I think that’s a pretty accurate statement in my opinion
Outside of all the violence and death, for me personally the increase in global antisemitism makes me very uneasy as a openly Jewish person in Canada and the US (should note I am living in the US with my fiancé but plan to move back after married). I know many members of the Canadian Jewish community feel the same and the longer this war goes on us in the diaspora will get hit with the backlash. Also the longer the war goes on Bibi and the far right continues to expand their power in Israel without an election. Hopefully the war can end and no Gazan is forced to relocate and the suffering ends. Hopefully some sort of path for a two state solution can be forged as well but it look bleak which upsets me very much. The idea of relocating 1 million Gazans to Libya is gross, unethical and makes me sad as someone who wants a 2 state solution. More importantly as a descendant of people who were ethnically cleansed I cannot support any relocation of Palestinians out of Gaza, the Gazans want to stay and the region including Israel should help rebuild the strip. No ceasefire should be predicated on 1 million people removed. Reading that a few weeks ago made my stomach turn. I truly hope this does not happen and peace can be achieved at least in the short term. The entire situation makes me incredibly sad.
I was going through this thread as i havent been reading it but saw Q’s post a few pages back and wanted to give my deepest condolences to him and his family. I am very sorry man.
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To add to this German anti semitism was not particularly different from French or British or Canadian anti semitism up until Krystal Nacht even after to a degree, it was only the application of state control that differed in Germany as the 30's progressed which is why the world really was surprised by the holocaust in the middle of the war, German ants semitism wasn't particularly abnormal, Jews were excluded form most 'white' clubs, professions etc in Canada and the UK, Jews were not allowed to buy land in the British Properties in West Vancouver, the covenant was still in place although not enforced until the 1980's as I recall as a historical oddity