A member of the Einsatzgruppen - a Nazi death squad that carried out mass executions - prepares to shoot a prisoner in the back of the head in Ukraine during the Second World War
A member of the Einsatzgruppen - a Nazi death squad that carried out mass executions - prepares to shoot a prisoner in the back of the head in Ukraine during the Second World War 'After a close analysis of these soldiers, I have identified five principle factors that had the greatest influence, either directly or indirectly, on the many members.' Zapotoczny said that examining such factors may help to predict the actions of others in the future should similar circumstances arise. 'The idea for this book sprang from my graduate thesis, which examined the actions of the Japanese Army and the actions of the German Einsatzgruppen during World War II. 'Together, the factors supported each other and crystallised into a modus operandi that resulted in atrocities and bestial acts on civilians. The soldiers who committed atrocities became violent criminals. Photos depicting abuse at Abu Ghraib began to emerge in 2004, with some detainees claiming to have endured physical a...