I think you meant “and for allied prisoners of war”.

I share your sentiment but we have to allow for the fact that some people were raised in an environment that deprived them of the opportunity to understand the world they live in.

You walk and read the names on the small crosses that overflow the vast gardens. In some instances a small inscription notes that ‘Here lies ….. buried by his friend …..’ and a couple of crosses later you note the name of the ‘friend’ on another small cross.

On reaching the end of the garden one finds himself in a terrace overlooking a yard beautifully landscaped with a dozen pyramids some 4/5 meters high with a base of about 3/4 meters per side. It is nice to look at, but only when one goes down into the yard and reads the inscriptions on the pyramids does one shudder:

‘This pyramid is made up of the burned remains of prisoners of war in memory of the (number of prisoners of war) from (country) executed in this camp.’

Further on, following the rail tracks, one finds himself at the ovens, four in a row.
No one is allowed to leave anything there but a red rose and a lit candle at one of the ovens is replaced daily.

It is a known fact that a nearby river was clogged with ashes and changed course.

Up the hill one finds what was once the main guard house which has since been turned into a chapel. It is bare, cold stone wherever one rests his eyes. A huge cross hangs suspended in mid air at the back. The walls are bare except for two by one foot boxes all around the chapel. The inscription on the boxes reads:
‘Soil gathered from (country) in memory of the (number of prisoners of war) executed in this camp’

As I have stated in earlier write ups, I am interested in all religions for the logic behind them, and am not religious, but here one is forced by human nature to kneel and cry.

This is the shape of the world that would have been if the sacrifice of the few didn’t change the course of history for the many.

And some writers here cannot care less.

That is evil.

Honey, that just about sums you up. Truly none are so blind as those who will not see. What are the odds that you didn’t pay your way through higher education? Clearly you do feel that something is owed to you because you’d never have accepted that situation, would you?

“Something which renders me benefit (monetary or otherwise) is something worthy of doing. Something which leads you to getting killed so that a fat ass of a general can boast about his ‘glorious victory’ is pure idiocy.”

You start by setting the tone for your own absence of morals. What you described yourself is a textbook example of a sociopath, someone who feel no moral obligation to others unless there is a benefit to himself.

“How will I tell them that, if I get killed in the first place? Your logic makes no sense whatsoever. My great-uncle did that only because he had no other choice, not because he really wanted too. He never did talk about it actually. Nothing to boast about, really. Can he get his fingers back? What stories can he tell? Tell us about his friends’ blood splattering on his uniform, and their internal organs flying about like mincemeat? Is that what you want children to hear?”

War is a mess. War is bloody. War is unfortunate in every way. That does not mean we should put the blinkers on and pretend it’s not a part of the world we live in. You may choose not to fight and even inspire others to follow lead, until one day you find yourself under the rule of a tyrant. Pacifism may at moments sound like a moral stance, but it is not sustainable.

“You undermine your own argument. If it was the fault of European and World rulers than why should Malta care? Malta is neither of them.”

Malta is not a part of Europe? Malta is not a part of the world? Where the hell am I, the moon?

“Since when going to war is a civic duty? I thought conscription was abolished a long time ago. I don’t know where you’re living actually. In cloud cuckoo-land perhaps. Or maybe you saw too much of those war films always portraying the war as a glorious undertaking when in fact it was one of the most horrific bloodbaths in history.”

Conscription is a reality in many countries still (my own country of birth included) and emergency conscriptions are in general carried out when a nation is under threat. Not a single person in this thread has hinted at war being glorious or a positive thing, so take your non sequitur and shove it somewhere.

“I’ve no need of you to explain to me the way Maltese society evolved. It evolved out of pure survival instincts.”

Oh, so a modernisation in accordance to the rest of Europe didn’t affect it? Or due to the monetary advantages it actually received due to being a British colony (don’t take me wrong, I’m against colonisation, but there is no denying that Malta has achieved a lot due to the British, especially in the form of a steady and flourishing tourism)? Or the joining of the European Union? It was all due to survival instincts you say. Doesn’t sound like a very thought-out idea.

“Basically they were “midhla” with the English. No need to explain further dear. I’m very certain most of them survived the war. And I’m very certain they didn’t feel the hunger pangs their fellow countrymen did. No wonder you’re defending the English with such passion.”

If there was a food shortage and the choice was between distributing the food to the ones who actually helped out in the war like Corinne’s relatives and the cowards of your family, by what virtue would you propose the second being the right choice?

“Iddahhaqx. No Maltese ‘chose’ to fight. I know the Maltese mentality, if they can get by without doing something, they will get by without doing it.”

Being an outsider I have seen my fair share of the type of Maltese you are describing, but there is a also a large portion who strive for something better. Who dedicate their life to achieving something, rather than sitting home blaming everyone else for their everyday problems. You have already admitted yourself to belonging to the group of Maltese who wouldn’t lift a finger unless it was for personal gain, so perhaps it’s time you take a look at your own life and try to become something better. Striving for something greater in life is quite addictive, you should try it sometime.

“Fought for a cause. Tajba din. So losing limbs and fingers is a cause skond int?”

Yes.

“What freedom?”

The freedom not to be put in a camp due to your skin colour. The freedom to actually voice your opinion in discordance with the state. The freedom to vote. The freedom to believe in what you want. The freedom to know you will receive medical care in case of injury or disease. The freedom to travel freely inside the whole of Europe. The freedom to criticise those who you are in disagreement with and praise the ones you agree with. The freedom to own your own property and belongings. The freedom to sit at home at a computer and write stupid things in someone’s blog. The restriction of any of those freedoms is a sad reality in many parts of the world and the stand that was taken against oppression in the two world wars has been a potent force in building such a society.

You, sir, are an ungrateful prick.

Something which renders me benefit (monetary or otherwise) is something worthy of doing. Something which leads you to getting killed so that a fat ass of a general can boast about his ‘glorious victory’ is pure idiocy.

“Then, one fine day, your grandchildren will ask you what you did during the war”

How will I tell them that, if I get killed in the first place? Your logic makes no sense whatsoever. My great-uncle did that only because he had no other choice, not because he really wanted too. He never did talk about it actually. Nothing to boast about, really. Can he get his fingers back? What stories can he tell? Tell us about his friends’ blood splattering on his uniform, and their internal organs flying about like mincemeat? Is that what you want children to hear?

“Soldiering is not a job, it is a vocation”

Appuntu. Int stess qed tghida. If it truly a vocation then ACCORDING TO YOU my predecessors and I, have a RIGHT not to serve in any pointless war.

@Chris II

“And yes, we need to care about the wars of others, if not out of altruism, out of self preservation – World War II was mainly the fault of European and World rulers not bothering about Hitler’s mini wars and encroachments.”

You undermine your own argument. If it was the fault of European and World rulers than why should Malta care? Malta is neither of them.

Since when going to war is a civic duty? I thought conscription was abolished a long time ago. I don’t know where you’re living actually. In cloud cuckoo-land perhaps. Or maybe you saw too much of those war films always portraying the war as a glorious undertaking when in fact it was one of the most horrific bloodbaths in history.

I’ve no need of you to explain to me the way Maltese society evolved. It evolved out of pure survival instincts.

@ Corinne

“Those members of my family who fought with the British Army, the Maltese regiments, and the US Army did so against the spread of fascism, which was incompatible with their political beliefs though not with the political beliefs of other Maltese at the time.”

Basically they were “midhla” with the English. No need to explain further dear. I’m very certain most of them survived the war. And I’m very certain they didn’t feel the hunger pangs their fellow countrymen did. No wonder you’re defending the English with such passion.

“You need it spelled out to you, so here it is loud and clear: S-0-M-E M-A-L-T-E-S-E C-H-O-S-E T-O F-I-G-H-T and they didn’t do that by faffing around, throwing hissy fits and sulking. They didn’t fight “for the English”. They fought for a cause.”

Iddahhaqx. No Maltese ‘chose’ to fight. I know the Maltese mentality, if they can get by without doing something, they will get by without doing it.

Fought for a cause. Tajba din. So losing limbs and fingers is a cause skond int?

“No matter your pleas to the contrary, it is because people fought the Axis powers and many lost their lives doing so that people like you are able to live in freedom and say whatever you like”.

What freedom?

[Daphne – Madonna, what a loser. No wonder half the working population in this country supports the other half who are on the state payroll or on benefits, with this kind of mentality. Well, John Meilak, you’re not going to set the world alight, that’s for sure.]

And did they also teach you that nobody owes anything to you? If they didn’t, take hope. You’re still in time to learn that lesson on your own.