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Not really, but some of the actions seem very spineless to me.
How about the women, that took on successions of German officer boyfriends, whilst their hubbies were out on the front?
Were they wrong?
What if they had children and the officers provided food? Would that change things? There are many variables. Other than the SS personal, later on most of the Germans were those who were older or injured as the fit to fight were sent to do that. I don't think you can call an action wrong until you see the individual reasons for taking it. In the last year, food even for the Germans was limited and I'm sure people did things they would not have done to feed themselves and their families. The Islands were in reality a backwater in the war, and even the British didn't rush to liberate them since there were more important things to do.
What if they had children and the officers provided food? Would that change things? There are many variables. Other than the SS personal, later on most of the Germans were those who were older or injured as the fit to fight were sent to do that. I don't think you can call an action wrong until you see the individual reasons for taking it. In the last year, food even for the Germans was limited and I'm sure people did things they would not have done to feed themselves and their families. The Islands were in reality a backwater in the war, and even the British didn't rush to liberate them since there were more important things to do.
Sure. Let's take collusion with the enemy "to feed the children" acceptable. Lie, cheat, steal, do whatever. Doesn't matter. I can justify Hitler's Holocaust if I had too.
The problem with people is they are SPINELESS. People always talk about "doing the right thing." "Lets make the world a better place." No, that isn't the facts. The facts are people want the good, they want everything, however they will not make sacrifices. Its great for all of the other people to make sacrifices, but I won't. YOU do it for me.
Me? I'm going to sleep with every NAZI SS solider who walks onto the island. Just so long as I can get a chocolate bar. And guess what? That is great and good. I'm doing the right thing. No, you nothing more then a coward.
If more people stood up for what was right and correct, alot of the injustices in the world would have never have taken place.
You are a "true believer" in a reality that never existed. In any war the first job of a civilian is to get enough food to feed his family and himself (frequently HIM was a woman because all the Patriotic men were serving in Malaysia or somewhere) while being a "proper patriot" is not even a consideration. Remember these civilians were almost completely unarmed with guns of any sort even before the occupation and almost certainly after.
Cooperation with the occupiers weather Dane, Norman, Viking or German is just plain common sense and a good idea if you want the kids to survive.
I find it hard to judge people who were in that situation since I have never been in that situation. There were minor investigations after the war regarding collaborators. Around 12 cases were considered for review, but all were dismissed. Several cases against people who had fled to the Islands prior to the occupation to avoid military service were prosecuted. About the worst that happened was the military had to intervene to prevent attacks on women who had fraternized and were known as "Jerry-bags", though even those reprisals ended after a day or so. Even then only around 180 illegitimate births are credited to the Germans during the occupation and the number of fraternizing women was considered small. The German army was also not fond of such fraternization and opened brothels for their troops supplied with French prostitutes under military medical supervision. I imagine that the people of the Channel Islands had a bit of a silent agreement between themselves over that entire episode. Of the 50k+ people on the islands during the occupation, only 12 cases were considered for prosecution and none ever taken to trial. That is pretty staggering when you think about it.
It's also a little different of a case of occupation. The British chose to abandon the islands and no adequate plans were made for the evacuation of the civilian population. The Britsh also declared the islands "open" to spare them damage. The Bailiffs were under orders from the Crown Officials and Lt. Governors to not resist the German occupation and co-operate passively. The fear was that there was little the civilians could do to fight back and anything they did would have minimal impact on the war, but would lead to massive reprisals. Essentially the British government told the people of the Channel Islands to cooperate with the Germans in order to save themselves. Essentially the message given to the Islanders was that surviving was the patriotic duty, not futile resistance.
The occupation there was also unlike many others. The ratio was 1 German soldier for every 2 Islanders, which was staggering. There was no Gestapo presence, so that impetus for resistance didn't exist. There were no organized political parties and few trade unions, so there was little social structure to coalesce the resistance around. Most of the children had been evacuated and virtually all men of military age were already in the armed forces. The islands were basically full of women and old men. Still there was a resistance movement, but it was mainly centered around disseminating news and rescuing people who had violated "German laws".
The people of the Channel Islands did the practical thing by not starting some bloody struggle against the German forces. The Germans who were sent there were basically a regular military force that was not interested in a scorched earth policy on the islands, but rather in maintaining a peaceable occupation as per their own military orders. The residents were allowed to go about their lives in a almost normal fashion, as long as they, of course, did not start fighting against the Germans. In return, the Germans acted with restraint and military correctness as best as possible. The leader of the German force was actually a Baron with family history of military service, not some crazed SS officer.
They were lucky to have a professional German Officer in charge instead of a True Believer.
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