They did not fail, Valkyrie, White Rose, Shindler, Partisans, and many others

Just saw the movie Valkyrie, walking back from the theater these were my thoughts, so I figured I would post them.

We commonly hear that history repeats, and that we don't learn from history, I have said this when frustrated myself. But it does not repeat, and we do learn.

The Valkyrie attempt, and resistance that wanted peace, and all those others that stood as best they could for integrity, honor, love, and for the better part of what it is to be a part of mankind, they may not have accomplished the tasks in their living years.

But their examples, even when not perfect or flawed, those examples are what we learn from. In their daring attempts to find a way for peace and common good, they passed down to a new generations, the ideas of what it is to be better.

And from the stepping stones they lay, we learn that we too can hold true to the ideals of honor, peace and integrity.

The world gets better every century, and part of that comes from those that do what they can, and stand for what we all believe. They stood against those that did what most of us know, is wrong. In their hearts they saw it was wrong, and used who they were, what they knew, and whatever they could do to try and make a difference. (The Valkyrie plot used violence, I disagree with that, maybe thats why we must learn to make a difference before it gets that bad. I believe in non-violence)

Gandhi
Martin Luther King.
Nelson Mandela
Oskar Schindler
Civil Rights leaders
Suffrage leaders
Worker Rights leaders
Society Leaders
and all those that care for those with less or those that suffer.

and millions others we will never know the names of.
Those that followed the better ways even when it was unpopular.
Those that sheltered ignoring false judgment, simply for love.
Those that knew life was more then themselves.

Millions of them, maybe billions. Most unknown, all heroes.

at the hands of the US/UK air attack and the Soviet ground invasion. They only turned on Hitler after they realized that his leadership was taking them straight into disaster. Up until the tide turned, they were pretty much on his side. Even Beck, the gentleman who commits suicide at the end of the film and who was tapped to be the president of the new government, was one of Hitler's top military commanders prior to the war. He only opposed the would-be invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938 because he believed Germany would lose. In fact, he shared the crazy belief with Hitler that the mere existence Czechoslovakia was somehow a slap in the face to the Reich. Beck, who looks like the good guy in Valkyrie, was not opposed to war. He just didn't want it to start until a couple of years later.

The vast majority of the July 20 plotters were all too happy to follow Hitler's orders in 1940 and 1941 when the Germans were riding the crest of victory. Their turn against him stemmed from simple military calculus, not any deep moral opposition to what the Nazi regime stood for. Hitler and his cronies were good enough for them in 1940.

Putting them in with the likes of Schindler and Ghandi does the real peacemakers and humanitarians a disservice.

Valkyrie is not in the same category, the White Rose kids are.

On the topic of Valkyrie, I agree there were self motives there also.

On the Valkyrie attempt, some of the contributing factors of their decision was also the knowledge that Hitler was wrong. Yes they advocated the war of aggression, in that they held alot of wrong on there hands, but part of their motive, I believe, was they saw the evil of hitler and saw it as wrong, even if it was just more evil then their own. I again do not advocate violence, and only realize that people can make a difference.

My comment was they believed they could make a difference, they are not in the same category, I agree with that. But even if they were trying to save Germany from destruction, they were still trying to save people from suffering.

The names of famous non-violent protesters I posted because they are ones that come to mind, but they are equal to anyone 'in a moment' that tries to alleviate suffering, at least in that moment they are equal. If it was true the only reason for the attempt was for them to save themselves I would agree with you. And some, but not all, in the attempt had motives above just saving themselves.

White Rose Society was a student movement at a time when there was no opposition. Pure heroism.

Valkyrie was an internal NAZI movement from a group who just didn't like the tactical direction WWII was Going.

They should not be associated.

My respect for the White Rose movement is beyond what words could describe. It is not my intent to devalue them in anyway, nor could I, they earned their respect with their actions.

The way Valkyeri was portrayed in the film, even if only in a moment of their existence, just like billions of other people in the world, I believe there action was a correct intent, with flawed methods, from flawed people. But we are all flawed. It is only that moment I comment on, and included my distaste for their methods.

This may not sit well with others, but it is what I believe. If a bad person, has a moment of carring for others, I believe, in that moment, he is equal to the best in the world.

Again, trust me on this, I have the highest respect for the White Rose Society. And it is not possible for me to ever lessen their value or who they were with anything I could ever post, I appreciate your comment, especially if my post seemed to wrongfully group them.