during the first world war many british soldiers were shot for cowardice, some as young as 17, it has been?

Question

argued for many years that they werent cowards, and that they were suffering fron post traumatic stress disorder, they were found guilty of leaving their posts, after being found wandering around.

finally a few years ago they were all pardoned by the goverenment, as it was accepted that they were suffering from PTSD,

they were all posthomously buried with honours, but the british government says it cannot apologise as the present british government was not responsible for the original decision of execution. i believe that as the government represents the british people and the country as a whole and not just the present day, i believe that the government should apologise to the children and grandchildren of these soldiers, on behalf of all the country past and present, what do you think

Answer 1

I have a problem with people who judge the past by the present, but in this case, I could not agree more with you.

What you have to do, is understand WHY these executions happened. The 'Front' in WW1 was a terrible place and, if the officers had not made the soldiers more afraid of THEM than of the Germans... there would have been mass desertions from the trenches.

The same technique was used on Sailing ships when the Captain or Sailing Master was more dreaded than the possibility that someone could get killed by climbing the rigging during heavy weather.... The choice was a bad one... climb the rigging or be keelhauled or thrown overboard for cowardice... In the case to WW1 the choice was knowing you MAY be killed in the trenches or by going over the wall but if you were a coward you WOULD be killed by an officer..

Answer 2

I think the British Government is right. If you apply it to laws, it kind of works like a grandfather clause. The law changed, but you cannot persucute someone who broke that law before it was made the law.

The government did what is saw as necessary, and at the time legal, to win the war. Its easy to look backward and point fingers, it is something else to do that looking forward.

Answer 3

that was so long ago would anyone in their family really know them now? no cause then been dead to long. i think that they should say sorry. what's it going to hurt? it takes what a whole few minutes out of their life to say sorry? if you get the small stuff out of the way people have time to focus on bigger things.