Pros And Cons Of Pius Xii's Neutrality
Wrongly accused of being indifferent to the atrocities against the Jews during World War II, Pius XII was in fact very active in protecting and fighting for the Jewish People.
Contrary to popular belief, Pius XII was committed to lift the pain that plagued the Jewish People as World War II consumed Europe. The Summi Pontificatus was released by Pius following the Invasion of Poland. The encyclical condemns Nazi beliefs such as racism, cultural superiority, and totalitarianism as well as expressing Pius’ own personal dismay at Germany and Russia for the invasion. One year later the Vatican was visited by Nazi Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop who accused Pius of siding with the Allies. Risking his neutrality and perhaps even his own life …show more content…
Vatican Neutrality lets the Church operate as a global, but neutral, power in distributing aid throughout the war. However, this came with many disadvantages. As head of state of the Vatican, Pius risked breaking neutrality by speaking out against Axis war crimes. The Vatican, surrounded by Fascist Italy and with no defenses to speak of, could not risk publicly denouncing Hitler or Mussolini. Additionally there was the factor of Catholics living in Nazi-Occupied countries. If Pius went too far, Hitler could easily start killing Catholics in retribution. Pressure not only came from the Axis, but as well as the Allies. In 1944 a letter was received by American Diplomat Fraklin Gowen, stated that the British Ambassador to the Vatican did not want Pius XII to give a radio address criticizing Nazi deportation of Jews in Hungary because they were worried it might offend Stalin who was doing something similar in Poland. This hints at what may have been pressure from the Allied powers to keep Pius silent. These problems were all hurdles Pius had to jump through before he could get his true opinion
Contrary to popular belief, Pius XII was committed to lift the pain that plagued the Jewish People as World War II consumed Europe. The Summi Pontificatus was released by Pius following the Invasion of Poland. The encyclical condemns Nazi beliefs such as racism, cultural superiority, and totalitarianism as well as expressing Pius’ own personal dismay at Germany and Russia for the invasion. One year later the Vatican was visited by Nazi Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop who accused Pius of siding with the Allies. Risking his neutrality and perhaps even his own life …show more content…
Vatican Neutrality lets the Church operate as a global, but neutral, power in distributing aid throughout the war. However, this came with many disadvantages. As head of state of the Vatican, Pius risked breaking neutrality by speaking out against Axis war crimes. The Vatican, surrounded by Fascist Italy and with no defenses to speak of, could not risk publicly denouncing Hitler or Mussolini. Additionally there was the factor of Catholics living in Nazi-Occupied countries. If Pius went too far, Hitler could easily start killing Catholics in retribution. Pressure not only came from the Axis, but as well as the Allies. In 1944 a letter was received by American Diplomat Fraklin Gowen, stated that the British Ambassador to the Vatican did not want Pius XII to give a radio address criticizing Nazi deportation of Jews in Hungary because they were worried it might offend Stalin who was doing something similar in Poland. This hints at what may have been pressure from the Allied powers to keep Pius silent. These problems were all hurdles Pius had to jump through before he could get his true opinion