Look, it's really easy to use narrative structures such as 'good vs evil' or 'heroes vs villains' colour our view of history.
True. I just watched a movie last night called
The Eagle, which was a set in the time period of Roman occupancy of Britain after the construction of Hadrian's Wall. It was easy to see the Romans as the "good guys" - civilized, orderly, honorable, etc. and the peoples north of the wall as the "bad guys" - barbaric, ruthless, uncivilized, etc. It occurred to me, however, that the story could have as easily been told from the POV of the northern tribes that would have reversed the perceptions of "good guys" and "bad guys." It could have portrayed the Romans as the villains - taking land that didn't belong to them, driving out people that had lived there for centuries, killing the people because they were uncivilized, etc.
Not trying to suggest that the Nazis were good by any stretch, but that type of rhetoric -'good vs evil' or 'heroes vs villains' - belongs in comic books, not history.
HBD
Edited by herebedragons, : clarification
Whoever calls me ignorant shares my own opinion. Sorrowfully and tacitly I recognize my ignorance, when I consider how much I lack of what my mind in its craving for knowledge is sighing for... I console myself with the consideration that this belongs to our common nature. - Francesco Petrarca
"Nothing is easier than to persuade people who want to be persuaded and already believe." - another Petrarca gem.
Ignorance is a most formidable opponent rivaled only by arrogance; but when the two join forces, one is all but invincible.