HISTORY IN IMAGES: Pictures Of War, History , WW2: Rare Random Images From WW2: Part 3

Rare WW2 Images Greek soldiers taken prisoner sit around German guard watches

Greek soldiers taken prisoner sit around as a German guard watches over them. May-June 1941. Mussolini attacked the Greeks first but was thrown back by the tough Greek fighters. Hitler then steeped in. He wanted to protect the Balkans to keep the British out from getting a toehold. The Greek army however brave was no match for the Wehrmacht.

Two German soldiers support wounded Canadian soldier after Dieppe raid. August 1942.Rare WW2 Images

For propaganda? Or kind Germans? Two German soldiers support a wounded Canadian soldier after the Dieppe raid. August 1942.

French legion German army 638th Infantry Regiment Moscow Smolensk. November 1941 Rare WW2 Images

French legion of the German army (638th Infantry Regiment) on its way to Moscow from Smolensk. November 1941.

German soldiers Goliath during suppression Warsaw Uprising August 11 1944 Rare WW2 Images

German soldiers prepare a "Goliath" during the suppression of the Warsaw Uprising. August 11, 1944. (Image by Gutermann)

Waffen SS soldier chats Soviet women Belgorod. 1943 Rare WW2 Images

A Waffen SS soldier chats with Soviet women at Belgorod. 1943. It would be interesting to know what the conversation was about. We will never know.

Occupied Greece. April 1941. Sepp Dietrich of the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" talks Greek prisoners. Rare WW2 Images

Occupied Greece. April 1941. Sepp Dietrich of the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" talks to Greek prisoners.

Soviet citizens hanged by Germans Rare WW2 Images

Soviet citizens about to be hanged by the Germans. Hitler's orders for Barbarossa was that all Soviet Commissars and partitions were to be executed immediately. The so-called "Commissar Order".

German soldiers listen carefully Russian lady saying. Novorossiysk, 1942 Rare WW2 Images

German soldiers listen carefully to what this Russian lady is saying. Novorossiysk, 1942. Why do men always listen carefully when a woman speaks? Be it war or during peace.

September 18 1944 Germans carry their wounded during Warsaw Uprising Rare WW2 Image

September 18, 1944. Germans carry their wounded during the Warsaw Uprising.

German soldiers crouch behind Stug 3 assault gun outskirts of Stalingrad 1942 Rare WW2 Image

German soldiers crouch behind a Stug 3 assault gun in the outskirts of Stalingrad. 1942

German soldiers ruined factory Stalingrad November 1942 Rare WW2 Image

German soldiers in a ruined factory in Stalingrad. November 1942. The photo was published on the cover of "Munchner Illustrierte Presse" of 10 December 1942.

French Legion Wehrmacht Smolensk November 1941 Rare WW2 Image

French soldiers in the German army. French Legion of Wehrmacht soldiers during a show in Smolensk before the march on Moscow. November 1941.

American Lieutenant General Mark Clark Liberated Rome 1944 Rare WW2 Image

American Lieutenant General Mark Clark sits on the window sill of a house in liberated Rome. 1944.

Mussolini Skorzeny September 1943 Rare WW2 Image

Mussolini with a group of German and Italian military at the "Campo Imperatore" after release. He was rescued by a group of SS soldiers led by Otto Skorzeny (seen on the left of Mussolini) in September 1943.

1940. Captured French pilots chat with German soldiers.

Waffen SS soldiers kicks captured Russian pilot Kursk 1943 Rare WW2 Image

Not a very nice man. A Waffen SS soldiers kicks a captured Russian pilot. Kursk, 1943.

German soldier Leningrad Lenin statue Rare WW2 Image

Near Leningrad. This German hardly seems to have any reverence towards Lenin. He is using the statue as a sign-post.

Waffen SS soldiers Kharkov 1943 Rare WW2 Image

Tough battle-hardened Waffen SS soldiers at Kharkov. 1943. They were by now fighting a losing war.

Polish employees Danzig post office captured September 1939 Rare WW2 Image

Polish employees of the Post Office at Danzig along with a few militia put up strong resistance. The Germans had to blow down a wall using three guns and use flame-throwers to subdue them. September 1939.

Soviet soldiers destroyed Warsaw 1945 Rare WW2 Image

War destroys. Soviet soldiers walk through a devastated Warsaw. 1945.

Horse Street Devastated Stalingrad 1942 Rare WW2 Image

A horse stands shaken amidst a destroyed Stalingrad. 1942.

Related

Rare, Random Images From WW2: Part 1

Rare, Random Images From WW2: Part 2

Points To Ponder

WHY WAS THE FIGHTING ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT SO FIERCE DURING WW2?

It is difficult to distinguish between the quality of both the German and Russian soldiers. Both were motivated by their love for their motherland. But there were others factors that drove the two sides to such desperate fighting.

One, both sides knew that this was a no-holds bar war. Not fighting was thus not an option.

Second, both Hitler and Stalin had squads that killed any deserter. Turning away from fighting was just not possible.

Thus was seen some of the most bitter, brutal and desperate fighting on the WW2 eastern (Russian) Front.

Quotes....

"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
--Hermann Goering