Snorky I got your point and I agree with it. I was just being pedantic and questioning the direct links between the leaders and events you mentioned. Oh and the Lateran pact was between the fascist administration of Italy and the Catholic Church. The Nazi?s were not party to it. Officially the pope opposed the Nazis but in practice there was varied support, opposition and apathy towards them from the Catholic Church in Germany. At one stage during the war Hitler tried to close down all the convents and monasteries but stopped because he was worried about loosing the support of the catholic part of the population.