[P_Funk]

I'm gonna throw my two bits in here. For me I don't view games such as this one as a glorification of the Nazi regime. First and foremost the fact remains that it is in fact a game. For me games are very much similar to movies; a means to impart unto those less knowing what an event or period was like, particularly in the case of war movies. Whether it is a mini-series about the plight of Easy company of the 101st Airborne or a crew of a U-boat it is about the experiences of the people involved. For me game sare the same as movies, they are a great way to get a new perspective on something which is a constant part of our culture.

A perfect example is the much acclaimed Brothers in Arms. This game sought to recreate the realism of war and focused on characters and the experiences of a single squad and how war pushed them psychologically past the extreme rather than focusing on a much dramatized "operational" experience which lacked all character development and believability. This game was actually endorsed by veterans associations and historical societies as being accurate and a testament to the memory of WW2.

I personally want to see a game in which you get to play as a german soldier. The perspective would be fascinating. For once they could actually have an FPS war game when you have to retreat. If you are going to make the argument that the soldiers of the Third Reich were responsible for supporting a regime which wrought unstoppable terror and destruction we ought to remember that we also, as the Allies, were responsible for some despicable acts as well. Recall the Fire Bombing of Dresden, the nuclear bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the force internment of many immigrants of an unfriendly ethnic origin, and of course the bombing of Nazi held territory which caused countless civilian deaths.

My perspective on war is that war itself is the true monster behind the so called "evil". War throws innocent young men into a situation in which they are compelled to do terrible things, and told to die for an abstract concept such as god, king, and country. Of course the SS caused much human devestation beyond that of the normal conventions of war but the vast majority of german soldiers in all arms of the military were as innocent in the cause of the conflict as anyone else. They had their democratic process subverted, were conscripted, and forced to fight for a regime which had come to power for a number of reasons many of which lead back to the allies themselves at the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.

So no I don't find experiencing the German side of WW2 disgusting. War is disgusting. Where should we stop? "Aushwitz the game" -- that's when we can go ape****. But the life and death of a young man of any nationality is a worthy subject for a movie, novel, or game. If I can see through the eyes of a german man my own age and see what his life was like I can better cut through the biased propoganda that comes from living under the regime of the victors. The better we understand history the better we can hope to prevent a replay of it, one not on our computer screens at home.