Ultimately all Internet discussions come down to Nazis but maybe it’s relevant here? Did ordinary Germans thank their soldiers for their service, call them heroes, tell stories about acts of selfless bravery? It’s my understanding that post war Germans were deeply ashamed of the war, didn’t make movies about it or have heroes glorified, etc.

Is it the losing badly that matters, or the context (jeez the whole country went nuts, let’s try to move on).

A soldier is a soldier after all, and the bravery and loyalty and willingness to sacrifice all is a constant. What is the appropriate response to a military that is fighting a truly shameful war. Should ordinary Germans have been grateful for the service of returning warriors?