re: "The last professional"

The Phibian at Cdr Salamander ("Proactively “From the Sea”; leveraging the littoral best practices for a paradigm breaking six-sigma best business case to synergize a consistent design in the global commons, rightsizing the core values supporting our mission statement via the 5-vector model through cultural diversity.") let his inner history-geek out for a reflective moment.

Money quote(s):

"It was often said that in most nations, the nation has a military. In the case of Prussia - the seed of the modern German state - a military had a nation.....

The post-Franco-Prussian War Germany took that Prussian professionalism with them. To this day, those who have worked with the rump-German military can speak of their professionalism - though they are firmly under their nation now days."

This was still true as of my last interactions with Bundeswehr folks, just a coupla short years ago.

What's key to remember, though, about the post-WW2 German is how thoroughly their professional ethic has been infused with the U.S. sort of civil-military dynamic.

(Let's chalk that one up as a success.)

"In their mid-century descent in to madness, there was one branch of the German military that held its honor the longest - some would say they never lost it; that was the German Navy.The fact they had the last Jewish officers is one point, they were also the service that held out the longest with the traditional military salute, though with time that faded as more and more officers saw the personal-professional gain by "joining the club" with the fascist salute. Many stuck with it throughout.

There are all sorts of pictures out there where some are saluting normal, and others the fascist salute."

Military, and naval, officers are a conservative lot. Not in their politics per se necessarily (although that's often true as well), but in their habits, both of thought and of custom.

Getting an old soldier to change how he salutes (or marches)? Good luck with that. It just goes to show how thoroughly transformative National Socialism was in Germany.

"(W)hen I see that picture all I can think of is sadness. Sadness for the last professional before his nation descended in to suicidal madness."

7/27