Pius XII's role in WWII

[Fear_nam_Beanntan]

http://www.catholic.com/library/HOW_...ECTED_JEWS.asp

[ANDY-J2]

And a few alternative viewpoints on this issue-

Honest, impartial historians have consistently called in question the role played by Pius XII both immediately before and throughout the course of the Second World War. His failure to take action to prevent Nazi atrocities, and his complicity in the slaughter of three quarters of a million Serbs, have been highlighted by many writers, but such is the efficiency of the Vatican propaganda machine that their revelations failed to make any real impact on the minds of those who were in a position to take action and there was, of course, no action taken.

http://home.rednet.co.uk/fpchurch/Eb...r/article6.htm



During the Second World War in Yugoslavia, Catholic priests and Muslim clerics were willing accomplices in the genocide of the nations Serbian, Jewish and Roma population. From 1941 until 1945, the Nazi-installed regime of Ante Pavelic in Croatia carried out some of the most horrific crimes of the Holocaust (known as the Porajmos by the Roma), killing over 800,000 Yugoslav citizens - 750,000 Serbs, 60,000 Jews and 26,000 Roma. In these crimes, the Croatian Ustasha and Muslim fundamentalists were openly supported by the Vatican, the Archbishop of Zagreb Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac (1898-1960), and the Palestinian Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Hajj Amin al-Husseini.





http://www.revelationwebsite.co.uk/i...holoc/mass.htm

[Fear_nam_Beanntan]

I seriously doubt the honesty and impartiality of such historians as John Cornwell. On the other hand, while Ronald Rychlak may be biased, at least he is honest.

http://www.catholicleague.org/research/hitlerspope.htm

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

You claim that Pius XII did little to combat Naziism. A very small amount of reseach will show that he repeatedly condemned Naziism, was considered a vigorous enemy by the Nazis themselves, and according to Jewish estimates, saved hundreds of thousands of Jewish lives.

Perhaps Pius could have taken a more open and heroic stand against Hitler, instead of being subtle, but you have to take into account that the Pope has a very small army. The Nazis could have easily invaded and taken Vatican city, to the net effect that Pius would no longer be able to save any lives. He exercised prudence and caution, and possibly a little of the natural human instinct for self-preservation.

There is no doubt that many Catholics in Croatia were Nazis and committed war crimes. The same could be said about German Protestants, obviously. It is also an established fact that Cardinal Stepinac worked in a Nazi sponsored goverment. However, that does not mean he approved of their actions. There are a lot of Iraqis on the U. S. governing council who do not approve of the American occupation. Here is a pro-Stepinac site which documents how he used his power to protect refugees.

http://www.magma.ca/~rendic/stepinac.htm

[Edited by Fear_nam_Beanntan on 3rd September 2003 at 22:21]

[Fear_nam_Beanntan]

Here is an article by a Jewish Rabbi with a Ph.D. How much more honest and impartial do you want?

http://www.catholicleague.org/pius/dalin.htm