Quote Originally Posted by Poor Bloody Infantry View Post
I certainly do not maintain that the German people in any way "had it coming"; on the contrary, they were victims of a terrible atrocity through, for the most part, no fault of their own. But they have Hitler to blame for bringing down destruction upon them, not the Western Allies.
In criminal law, you are held accountable for your own actions, regardless of who began the series of events. This is like a robber breaking into your home and vandalizing it, causing horrific damage - but you still manage to subdue and restrain him. Instead of waiting for the police to arrive, you then shoot him. Understandable? Maybe, maybe not. Responsible and just? Certainly not.

Was Hitler to blame? Indirectly, yes, I agree. But ultimately and directly, the Allies were accountable for their own actions.