We Are All Jews Here!

We are all Jews here. These were the words of U.S. Army Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds at Stalag IX POW Camp in Germany, January 1945 following capture by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge. Sergeant Edmonds was the senior non-commissioned officer at the POW camp and was ordered by the German Commandant to have all the Jewish soldiers assembled in front of prison barracks the next morning. But Sergeant Edmonds did nothing of the kind. Instead, he ordered all 1,200 American soldiers to assemble in front of the prison barracks together. The German Commandant was furious. He raged at Sergeant Edmonds that the entire group of soldiers could not be Jews. Sergeant Edmonds calmly responded that “We are all Jews here.” The Commandant then pressed a pistol to Sergeant Edmonds head and threatened to kill him if he did not separate the Jewish soldiers. Sergeant Edmonds told the Commandant that he would need to kill all the soldiers and then the Commandant would be tried for war crimes after the war. At this, the Commandant backed down. Sergeant Edmonds’ courage that day saved the lives of at least 200 Jewish American soldiers. In 2015, Sergeant Edmonds received the Righteous Among the Nations award from Vad Vashem Israel’s Holocaust memorial.

Why am I writing about Sergeant Edmonds and discussing his heroic story here in 2025? For at least two reasons. First, Sergeant Edmonds was a quiet man of Christian faith and shared little about his wartime experience. It was only after his son, Chris Edmonds, a Baptist Minister, learned about his father’s actions that Sergeant Edmond’s story became much better known. I have some experience myself as a son of a father, First Sergeant Morris A. Wilson, who served courageously in that same Battle of the Bulge. Just like Sergeant Edmonds, my father was not inclined to discuss his war time service. With enormous pride and gratitude, I discussed my own father’s story in my Blogs on the Greatest Generation Parts 1 and 2 on my website. As I recently read several private letters which my father sent his sister (my aunt) describing the battle scene in a “sanitized way”, I more fully appreciated the moral courage my father and Sergeant Edmonds demonstrated in this war, and this should never be forgotten. As the saying goes, talk can be cheap, but Sergeant Edmonds and my father were willing to put their faith in action even at great risk of physical harm to themselves.  

My second reason for discussing Sergeant Edmond’s story concerns events occurring in our world today. As an Evangelical Christian and political conservative, it is my opinion that there is a false and unfortunate narrative circulating in certain far-right antisemitic circles regarding WWII and America’s involvement in the war. Let me emphasize that this narrative is espoused by far-right antisemites and not true conservatives. In its simplest form, the narrative holds that Winston Churchill was the villain and Adolph Hitler was the hero of WWII. They would have you believe that if only America had given Hitler latitude, Hitler would have eliminated the Communist threat in Russia, and the United States and the Nazis could have peacefully coexisted.

Many who espouse this false narrative also believe Vladimir Putin is the virtuous actor in today’s war between Russia and Ukraine. Many in this same group are also critical of Israel and the steps Israel has been required to take to defend itself from terrorist groups who threaten Israel’s right to exist. In my opinion, this entire twisted narrative is utter nonsense.

Let me speak clearly as an Evangelical Christian and a political conservative: Adolph Hitler was an evil tyrant and so is Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. Their resumes of brutality make this clear. No one should be deceived on this point, especially Christians. Make no mistake, these men will not be dissuaded from their militaristic aims by either the timidity and indecisiveness of the Biden Administration or by the hubris and charismatic false hope of the Trump Administration. These brutal men respect military strength and the capability and willingness to project it if necessary. That is the only language they understand. If there is to be any hope for peace, it will be peace through strength.   

God bless you and thank you for the privilege of your time in reading my blog.