1. Is it time that the 300 plus British soldiers executed in WWI were pardoned? Accepting that some did just sod off and leave their mates, what about those that were traumatised?
2. For Americans. Did any of your soldiers face the firing squad for similar reasons? Accepting the one shot in WWII
Can anyone understand the terrible trauma they must have underwent?
As an ex-squaddie, with active service, I cannot come close to what those guys experienced.
2006-08-15 08:53:05 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Johnny MidKn. Agree to a point. I knew this when I signed on the dotted line. Just a query to if soldiers werent thinking straight? After all murderers get off on diminished responsibility?
just a thought.
2006-08-15 09:32:29 · update #1
I believe that they should be pardoned, my reasons are, at that time it mattered not one jot how much terror these young soldiers had seen or how traumatised they were in such a bloody war. Thousands were killed daily for very little ground gained, whole Regiments wiped out. The scale of suffering is unimaginable to us now. The tactics were attrition, those who could afford to lose the most men would win. I understand that discipline that had to be maintained but I believe in light of what we now know we should do the decent thing. By the way, you can't be shot these days and the many thousands that joined up at the time didn't have a clue about war or soldering
2006-08-15 10:27:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically desertion is a form of high treason...... Upon entering service in the military; it is understood that war might eventually break out... War in and of itself traumatic... and thank God for that... If it was enjoyable we would always be at war. But I digress.... High treason is not a light crime... We as citizens of a nation most do our best not to destroy it or abandon it... As a soldier we took an oath to defend our nation (whatever nation that be).... Besides if you just pardon people for deserting their posts; what's to stop all of the soldiers from doing that? Trauma is no excuse either.....they knew the risk of war.... And the lives of people back home require that a soldier do his duty... Desertion is a direct slap in the face of all the innocent (woman and children) back home that are counting on that soldier to fight and defeat their enemy(ies). He may not agree with the war or can't handle the pressure of war, but once you make one exception you open the door for thousands...... And what soldier is his right mind truly wants to be at war..... I would guess that most would like to be home with family and friends...... You would have dissensions in the ranks and men deserting their posts everywhere. Leaving us in a weakened state in defending our nation... So what would be the best punishment for an act of treason? Life in prision? Some (possibly most) would decide that life in prision would be better then being at war... But if faced with execution you can either possibly die at war (with a chance that you might live) or die by the hand of your nation and be stripped of honor and viewed as a traitor; it starts making staying and fight the better choice.... I like to think that our men and women in service to this nation (America) do it for the honor, glory and most importantly to protect the lives of Family, friends and even strangers back home. So should these 300 every be pardoned.....no. It seems cruel... but it is necessary for the protection of any nation.
2006-08-15 09:26:19 · answer #2 · answered by Johnny Midknight 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can anyone understand the terrible trauma of me breaking my bloody nail on the car door this morning.... now, I'm going to have to sit at my desk, filing it, reapply polish and will have no time to flick my hair from side to side at all this morning....
Anyway, off to reapply my makeup and think about small fluffy cuteys kittens.
Oh... sorry, I wouldn't even know how to offer a wild opinion of my own on this, after all... remember I don't qualify for life!! lol!
2006-08-15 22:50:49 · answer #3 · answered by Ellie29UK 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There were American soldiers who were executed for desertion during these WWI and WWII.
2006-08-15 08:59:33 · answer #4 · answered by mzJakes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think One American was executed for desertion, only because he was not pardoned by mistake
2006-08-15 09:03:13 · answer #5 · answered by rallman@sbcglobal.net 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's more info on this right here
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=91033810
2006-08-15 08:59:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do they care?
2006-08-15 08:58:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋