"Like so many other events in history it was down to the conscience of a single fairly unremarkable man that made the difference. It was the conscience of a captain in the navy of serving the organization we would later brand as "The evil empire" that saved us all. Point being we need to be careful about discounting the humanity of, and vilifying, our present-day enemies."

Very, very true! Governments usually have to 'install' hatred of a group to get a war going, having to vilify the 'enemy'.

I had a neighbor from WWII Germany when I was about 16. She was s nurse during the war. She and a few others in the hospital had a 'sideline' of helping enemies of the Third Reich. They had a man they had hidden in the hospital. One night, they were moving him out. One nurse checked the alley, all clear. They got him propped up on his feet and out the door, when a German officer walked into the alley. They froze. He stopped and looked at them. Then he turned around and ambled back down the alley and stood at the end, facing outward, just quietly smoking his cigarette. They rushed the man into the waiting car and then they went back into the hospital. No shouts, no alarms, no arrests.

For good or bad, it's usually the individuals that make the difference. The others are just sheep.

Sue