the germans actually did not conduct a genocide on the western front. they were too bus fighting a war. the even treat american jewish POWs equally. the americans had some fun tricks for POWs. the would have them sleep in a field. no tents. sorrounded in barbed wire and goven shovels to create their own sleeping holes. and sometimes at night a fun game was to fire machine gun fire about 6 foot in the air over their heads. the germans had similar such fun.

but a genocide was not commited against the fighting forces (except russia)

germany fought for gaining resources as much as anything else. living space. to be self sufficient. they believed that wiping out the jews would allow it to be less corrupt and cleaner. and wiping out the slavs gave alot of spare room.

the normal german soldier did not fight for politics, genocide, invasion, evil. he fought for one thing, his country.

if a war crime was committed it should be punished. but an innocent soldier cannot be punished merely for figthing. that is his job. no matter for what reason he fights. if he obeys the rules of war he is an innocent man. a mans views are not what should be judged in a war. merely the way in which he fights for them.

regarding war crimes though....... it comes back to that age old problem. is a man responsible for what he was ordered to do?. at nuremburg it was decided that he was. but was that a mistake?