What is the difference between preserving/honoring Nazi history in Germany and Confederate history in America?

Cyanide gas chambers.

I am not really all that knowledgeable on the confederate stuff.. but I do know that no one should honour the Nazi history. The Germans themselves don't honour it.. and I think that says it all!

I don't recall the Confederate States of America igniting a global conflict in which millions perished. I don't recall the American Civil War being a war waged against women and children on a massive scale. (Although Sherman's March to the Sea was directed at civilian property and resources) Even though the US turned the tide of World Wars I and II with our intervention, neither France, Great Britain or the European powers participated in any official capacity. If we examine the origins of this nation closely, we find that it was founded by traitors, rebels and revolutionaries. These people came to be known as patriots. If that is the case, then the founding of the Confederate States was the act of patriots.   I don't recall that the majority of those who marched to war were members of the planter aristocracy. Actually far too many were poor whites that were defending home and property in what was perceived as Northern aggression. Starry eyed boys, north and south answered the call to what they thought would be the great adventure of their generation, only to find that the horror   of war would purge any thoughts of romanticism or glamour. It was another example of a rich man's war and a poor man's fight when all was said and done and the dust settled. I have Confederate ancestors that I take pride in because of their courage and valor on both the battlefield and the home front. My folks weren't slave holders, so they had nothing to lose in the collapse of the institution of slavery. I've grown rather weary of being compared to Nazis and the horrors of the Holocaust. I've become equally weary of these efforts to either revise or eradicate American History. If we're going to do this right, I sincerely wish that all vestiges of war memorials and monuments be removed from the landscape, but since history is written by the victors, it's unlikely. We need to disassociate ourselves with the founders, the minutemen, all of the presidents from the state of Virginia, as well as every war and conflict we've had a hand in over a 250 year period. Every military park and historic site by rights should be dismantled before our hysteria over these things lead us to another "revolution". This should be carried out with the same zeal and fanaticism that was made famous by, dare I say it, Nazis.

Preserving things like the concentration camps, Hitler's Eagle's Nest are not honouring that dreadful part of history it is a reminder to us of the horrors one person can inflict on a nation.  I just posted on another thread that history is history good or bad we should not try to sweep under the rug what happened.  Destroying statues who were a part of the history of this country and who, until now, have been just that a part of history is utterly ridiculous.  When people look at these statues they can form their own opinion as to the character of the person but we can't/should not try to wipe out those part of history that may offend someone. 

As Trump said where does it stop, George Washington was a slave owner but he was a very important part of this country should all reference to him be obliterated because it offends certain people?

NO-ONE (apart from a few neo-Nazis) in Germany "honours" Nazism. In fact the country found it very difficult to come to terms with what it had done in the late-1930s, and continued to do after Britain declared war on it to put an end to Adolf Hitler's dreams of world domination, his regime and the atrocities it committed.

Instead we should remember such events, and hopefully learn from them. 

I don't think you can compare the Second World War with the American Civil War. For a start, and accepting that slavery irrespective or race is utterly wrong, Hitler's Germany was invading other countries as well as systematically killing Jews, coloured people, homosexuals and the mentally-ill merely for being those.

Civil wars are hardly "civil" - they are brutal, nasty and based on bitter divisions, but by definition are internal.


Gathespian's contribution (above) holds a very ambiguous sentence:

    "Even though the US turned the tide of World Wars I and II with our intervention, neither France, Great Britain or the European powers participated in any official capacity."

Ambiguous because it is not clear to which war the second clause refers. If it means the two World Wars, it is not only utterly wrong - ridiculous too - but deeply offensive. If it means the American Civil War, other nations would not have intervened because it was not their place; although British cotton-weavers took the slaves' side by boycotting American cotton, despite the commercial hazard to their own livelihoods. (Great Britain had been very active in the slave-trade, but was the first major country to realise the wrong and outlaw it.)
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