Religion is woven throughout every tribe and culture, at all times, and in that sense it informs everything, including World War II. But more specifically, what role did religious beliefs play in justifying the War? Let's focus on only one aspect: if, historically, Europe is the heart of Christianity, why did European Christians collaborate with Hitler to kill 6 million Jews, and another 6 million non-Jews?
First, it's important to know that the holocaust required a group effort, across countries and professions. Hitler didn't do it by himself. There were lawyers and judges who drafted and enforced antisemitic laws; there were scientists who searched for a justification for racism "in the blood", which they never found; there were engineers who designed gas chambers; train conductors who transported millions to their deaths; local law enforcement who stood by, along with most clergy. All these people were "Christians" by culture. What made them think it was a good idea to cooperate in the annihilation of "God's chosen people"?
After all, Jesus was Jewish, as were his disciples. The Old Testament, or Torah, is written in Hebrew. The major figures in the Old Testament - Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets - are revered by Christians and Jews alike.
The key is to realize that every good story, including religious ones, feature "good guys" and "bad guys". In the old Western movies, it would be "black hats" against "white hats" or cowboys against "Indians". In the Torah, it's the Israelites against the Philistines or the Egyptians; In Christianity, it's the Pharisees and Sadducees (both Jewish groups) versus Jesus and his disciples (who were also Jewish); in Islam, it's Muslims against earlier Arab religions and Jews.
Even though Jesus and his earliest followers were Jewish, there was a built-in anti-Jewish component to the gospels and the rest of the New Testament, because, they are the "bad guys" in the story.
Hitler quotes the New Testament numerous times in his book, Mein Kampf, because there are lots of verses available that sound pretty anti-Jewish (for example, John 8:44, "You are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.")
In sum, Hitler actively used Christian beliefs to justify his program. Meanwhile, millions of citizens in Europe either stood by passively, or actively collaborated, because they were conditioned by Christian tradition to see "the Jews" as the bad guys.
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. W
Religion played a large role in World War II. Hitler wanted to create an Aryan society based only on the "Volk," people he believed were the true Germans. This excluded the Jews, who both in terms of "race" (according to the Nazis) and religion, were not German, and were in fact a disease infecting and weakening the German state. He, therefore, eventually, diverted many resources to eradicating them, thinking this would help him win World War II.
This strategy clearly did not work, though it led to a massive genocide. It helped stiffen Allied resolve against him as news of this persecution (even if people did not have the entire story) leaked out.
Hitler also wanted to radically reform Christianity and turn it into its opposite as part of his pursuit of world conquest. He found virtues that were key to traditional Christianity, such as mercy and forgiveness, to be traits that would weaken the German Volk. He wanted to replace the Bible with his autobiography and political treatise, Mein Kampf, and the cross with the sword in churches as he sought to forge a ruthless German empire. This lead theologians such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer to oppose him within Germany, sadly concluding the German state had to be be defeated to save civilized norms in the world. While Hitler had to move very carefully and never realized his vision of a warrior church, his ruthlessness about religion did help to undermine him to an extent with Germans as the war unravelled.
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