Sun, Mar 15, 2009
At the start of Word War II, for many German children it only meant daddy had to go on a journey, but soon was back to be celebrated as a hero. The war propaganda was usually very effective with impressionable young minds, lack of patriotism was severely punishable at school and in many homes. As long as the Blitzkrieg progressed, nationalism was fun. In occupied countries, starting with easily overrun Poland, war soon showed its ugly face to children who lost family and homes.
Sun, Mar 22, 2009
As the war progresses, children alike adults both sides become almost accustomed to fear and horror for the entire family, especially as cities are bombed deliberately in order to terrorize the enemy civilian population. Many children are evacuated to the countryside, with family, by class or just to camps. they're still lucky compared to those in occupied countries restricted to ghettos or even concentration camps. meanwhile youngster at home and in school are further indoctrinated, now often in order to recruit them, usually after macho uniformed youth movements, for the military.
Sun, Mar 29, 2009
On both sides, front movements and bombardments often caused many families to become refugees, or city children to be send to relative safety in the countryside. Even short refuge in a bomb-shelter was a traumatic experience. Many ended up in camps, were the nightmare could be continuous, as in concentration camps.
Sun, Apr 5, 2009
After the tide of war turns against the Axis forces, war propaganda keeps hope and recruitment going, now mainly among teenage boys. As allied troops advance, the artificially magnified horror image of the Russians maximizes terror, while in fact they tend to spare unarmed males, just raping females. New refugee streams arise and camp prisoners are liberated, although for any the nightmare continues many years.