I often wondered about Hollywood’s depictions of Nazis as sniveling, mockable, losers, in popular media, and what effect that had on American thinking, especially the movies of the 80s, when it seems every other action film had Nazis as the villains.

I can’t help but think, without any form of proof of course, that this could have some bearing on Americans rather casual attitude about Nazism today, especially since movies and tv shows are all most Americans know about history, and given that deep strand of anti-intellectualism that runs through our society.