Why do some historians defend Pius XII’s cautious response to the Holocaust?

Historians who defend Pope Pius XII’s cautious response to the Holocaust argue that his primary motivation was to avoid provoking the Nazi regime into further brutalizing those already subject to its terror.1

Defenders point to several key factors:

• Fear of Reprisals: Pius XII believed that public papal denunciations might trigger harsher retaliation against victims and jeopardize the future of the church. This concern was reinforced by the aftermath of a 1942 protest by Dutch bishops, which resulted in increased Nazi violence.1
• Diplomatic Impartiality: As a trained diplomat, the pope sought to maintain the Holy See’s impartiality to serve as a mediator and preserve the church's ability to operate across borders.2
• Discreet Humanitarian Aid: Rather than issuing public condemnations, Pius XII instructed the church to provide quiet, practical assistance to Jews. This included establishing the Vatican Information Service to aid refugees and sheltering thousands of Jews and antifascist politicians in church buildings, which saved many lives.1

While critics characterize his approach as indifference, his defenders maintain that his silence was a calculated effort to prevent greater harm during a period of extreme danger.21