Why do British service men sing like canaries when captured,?

Question

I thought service men were prepared to die for Queen and country . or perhaps those days are long gone

Answer 1

Do not judge others until you walk in their shoes. You was not there, you do not know what went on.

Answer 2

They sang "like canaries" probably because their government told them to do so in the event of capture. I am a US Navy graduate of SERE school (Survival-Evasion-Resistance-Escape) and we were told to cooperate with the enemy in case of capture but to do so grudgingly and slowly. We were told that by the time we were gotten to an area that permitted effective interrogation, all the information that we had would e out of date. Telling the enemy things after that would be of no real useful benefit to them but we could make it beneficidal to us, the POW. As an example, after going thru several hours of interrogation and giving minor bits of correct information, we would then start "getting confused" and making mistakes. We would complain that because we hadn't had any food for an extended period of time, we were very hungry and that the lack of food was making us make mistakes. This would make them feed us so that the quality of our information would go back up. We were now forcing them to do something for us. This would then continue until we decided it was time to get some sleep and wwe would play the same game again. They would not get vital information but we would get food. We were told not to be John Wayne as that only works in the movies...in real life the enemy will kill you. We were told that it is most important to our country that we get back alive so don't do anything stupid to piss them off. This worked with the NVA but the Ragheads are a whole new ballgame.

Because the Muslim fascists are so violent and mean, the British government probably told their troops the same thing we were told---play their game and get home alive. Everyone realizes that the troops were coerced and the Iranians have really gained little from this episode. The toops were not cowards but following orders from their superiors.

Those expecting them to "John Wayne" the situation are probably civilians who do not go in harms way. If they were there those making the critical comments would probably not live up to their bellicose words. Those making the harsh comments most likely are the "sunshine soldiers" we have seen in previous wars.

Remember, you should walk a mile in someone else's shoes before making a criticism. Not only does it give you a fresh perspective but you are a mile away from them and you have ther shoes.

Answer 3

I have eight canaries. One stopped singing when his wife died a few years ago. I am trying to find out why he stopped, because he is healthy.

As a group, these sailors were taken by surprise. Nobody would want to be in their position.

The debate continues into whether they were in Iranian waters.

The Iranian leader made some important points.

He brought up the fact that America was backing Saddam Hussein when they were engaged in war with Iraq.

Facts are difficult to circumvent and will always come back to haunt you.

Nobody today is willing to die for causes because these causes seem vague and missleading.

Give me a cause I can fight for, and I'll make a sacrifice.

How about bringing back good paying jobs again?

Isn't that a good cause?

Yeah! Let's unite and fight for that cause?

Anybody want fries with their burger?

Oh, you want fries?

What the heck, no causes left to fight for.

Die for Queen and country? Yeah, right.

Answer 4

They made a choice to live rather than die which is not the honorable thing to do when fighting for your country, they were serving under orders of war which meant don't give up or if captured don't give away information which might even cost more deaths to your fellow servicemen and women, the story isn't over. one day in the future their offspring might have to live with the disgraceful knowledge that their forefathers cost a lot of their fellow country mens lives.

Answer 5

As of now noone can be totally sure what happened when they were captured. Whether the admissons were coerced, given freely, or possibly not given at all and merely made up, is yet to be seen.

Im sure that we'll hear more about how the prisoners were treated and what kind of interrogations they underwent in the next few days.

Answer 6

Cuz it's better than croaking like frogs? Or grunting like Hippipotimi? Or schreeching like like a Shrike? Or hissing like a snake?

Hey, it was likely a big PR stunt ... they get captured and treated very very well, had a good time, likely were told to say this and that and they would go home and Iran and England would look civilized where the USA would look foolish for refusing to talk respectfully etc. So they did. I would too. Would you prefer to beat your chest like a gorilla?

Answer 7

It's totally completely obvious they were coerced by Iran into making statements for propaganda purposes even in the way they said things you can just tell if your observant at all. And what's better read some silly statement that everyone knows you didn't mean or be tortured or worse?

Answer 8

I am an American but I do not think anyone that has not been in a situation similar to the one the Brits were in should be very cautious in their fault finding. I do think they are at fault if they attempt to make money off their predicament

Answer 9

This statement coming from some little twerp most likely living in his parent’s basement whose only experience with wearing a uniform came in 3rd grade when he dressed as SpiderMan for Halloween.

Answer 10

And you spent how much time as a POW?
It's not like they were saying we're killing innocent women and children. They admitted to straying in a arguably unclear border.
Why don't you go enlist tough guy?

Answer 11

The British Empire is no more, now it is the land of Islam. So the question is moot.