The North African Front

[Pootle]

To what extent was the was, a war without hate?

[Johnmof]

It's not clear from your question exactky what you're looking for. I'm assuming that you're referring to the fact that the desert war did not seem to produce the same amount of atrocities as occurred in the major theatres of war, especially Russia. There seems to be some evidence that the adversaries recognised that they were both fighting a common enemy, the desert itself. Also, the German commander for most of the time was Rommel, who was one of the more chivalrous German generals. The final thing is that in the European theatre, most of the atrocities were committed by the SS groups who came along in the wake of the Wehrmacht to round up the Jews and other groups who were targeted by the Nazis. In North Africa. this didn't happen. It tended to be just the two armies slugging it out, with a degree of mutual respect.

[david_harry]

Allow me to expand on 1 point from the above answer, that it was the SS who were mostly responsible for the atrocities. The Wehrmacht committed appalling atrocities in the East. In particular they treated Russian POWs with utter contempt, shooting untold numbers and leaving (literally) millions to die from exposure and starvation.

I do feel it is important for people to understand that in WW II it wasn't just the SS and the Gestapo that committed appalling acts

[Scylax]

I agree 100% with both above answers. There was no racial or ethnic antipathy evident in the N. African campaign, just good old-fashioned chivalry. As evidence, the British Tommies regarded Rommel as a 'cunning old b*****d' - the highest accolade possible. The British also adopted, as their own. the German marching song 'Lilli Marlene'. Mutual respect , even admiration, was the theme throughout...and why not ?