Halachic Considerations for Jews in Non-Jewish Armies During Wartime

It is strictly prohibited for a Jew to serve in a non-Jewish army according to the Torah. The parsha of Bamidbar discusses how Jewish soldiers must be between the ages of 20 and 60 and can only serve in a Jewish army, not in foreign militaries like the American, German, or Arab armies. This was further reinforced when Hitler passed a law in 1935 prohibiting Jews from serving in the Nazi army during the same week as Parashat Bamidbar. Regrettably, some Jews did try to join the Nazi military, with around 150,000 Jews serving in Hitler's army according to one documentary source. This included at least one person who called himself an Orthodox Jew. They wanted to be considered more German than Jewish, which drew severe punishment from Hashem for having more faith in the nations than in Him, as the pasuk warns "your conquerors will come from within you." A Jew who serves in a non-Jewish military is essentially joining and becoming part of the enemy.