Topic: War crimes WWII?

1217 · May 2nd, 2004

There's a discussion on my TV set right now, and I was wondering what you people would think.
The statement is roughly: only the losers are war criminals, the winners are judges.
The massive bombing of Berlin and other german cities are war crimes, but because the UK and the USA won that war, nobody was ever charged with them.
By the way, I don't understand that if they call the bombardments in Germany war crimes, they don't mention Heroshima.

Now I'm not saying this is my opinion, just asking for yours for now.

Bentley · May 2nd, 2004

What exactly makes those bombings to be classified as war crimes?

RnderSafe · May 2nd, 2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bentley

What exactly makes those bombings to be classified as war crimes?

What he said.

Redneck · May 2nd, 2004

Wondering that myself, actually.

Darkmb101 · May 2nd, 2004

I dont think it counts as a war crime because we didnt: commit genocide, mistreat POWs, or violate any conventions of warfare.

IrishWizard · May 2nd, 2004

Im just wondering but with the Germans bombing London did we ever charge them on that as war crimes? Or the Japanese technically "bombing" Pearl Harbor? Because if we didn't then the UK and USA shouldnt be charged for bombing Berlin.

Redneck · May 2nd, 2004

We shouldn't be charged with a dang thing because it wasn't a war crime.

SHERMAN · May 2nd, 2004

Firstly, 1217, your are partially right. The winners usually are the judges. However, I dont see the bombing of Berlin as a war crime. As to the A-bomb, theres a issue with that, but it's still not jenocide. To remind you the Germans did things "a bit" worse then bombing a city....

Redleg · May 2nd, 2004

Hm, difficult but interesting question..

One of the problems after WW2 was that the rules of what was war crimes or not hadn't been clearly defined yet..
The fourth Geneva Convention which handles the protection of civilians in time of war wasn't signed until August 1949.

If a bombing of a city on that scale had happened today, it would have been classified as a war crime, but back then the cities was regarded as military targets since the breaking of the German morale was considered a deceicive(?) point.
Civlian industrial workers was also considered military targets.
I seem to remember that about 600,000 German civilians were killed by allied bombing of german cities, about 45,000 were killed in just one night alone in Hamburg July 1943....
Here's an interesting article about this topic:
I haven't seen this site before, so I can't guarantee for it's credibility..
http://www.fpp.co.uk/online/00/02/Globe180200.html

and another link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/...068437,00.html

Snauhi · May 2nd, 2004

i dont think that it was a crime.

May 2nd, 2004	Post 1
1217 Primus Pilus	Post; War crimes WWII? There's a discussion on my TV set right now, and I was wondering what you people would think. The statement is roughly: only the losers are war criminals, the winners are judges. The massive bombing of Berlin and other german cities are war crimes, but because the UK and the USA won that war, nobody was ever charged with them. By the way, I don't understand that if they call the bombardments in Germany war crimes, they don't mention Heroshima. Now I'm not saying this is my opinion, just asking for yours for now.

May 2nd, 2004	Post 4
Redneck Buttercup	Wondering that myself, actually. __________________ No boom, no boom, no boom, Amen.

May 2nd, 2004	Post 5
Darkmb101 Tribunus Laticlavius	I dont think it counts as a war crime because we didnt: commit genocide, mistreat POWs, or violate any conventions of warfare. __________________ on a permanent vacation....will visit every now and then. see arcade hidden message!!! Life is short and pointless, be happy and live it.

May 2nd, 2004	Post 8
SHERMAN Milforum Moderator Gear	Post; lol Firstly, 1217, your are partially right. The winners usually are the judges. However, I dont see the bombing of Berlin as a war crime. As to the A-bomb, theres a issue with that, but it's still not jenocide. To remind you the Germans did things "a bit" worse then bombing a city.... __________________ In the roar of engines, in the thunder of cannons,in the comradship of blood!

May 2nd, 2004	Post 2
Bentley Milites Gregarius	What exactly makes those bombings to be classified as war crimes?

May 2nd, 2004	Post 6
IrishWizard Optio	Im just wondering but with the Germans bombing London did we ever charge them on that as war crimes? Or the Japanese technically "bombing" Pearl Harbor? Because if we didn't then the UK and USA shouldnt be charged for bombing Berlin.

May 2nd, 2004	Post 7
Redneck Buttercup	We shouldn't be charged with a dang thing because it wasn't a war crime.

May 2nd, 2004	Post 9
Redleg The fire is everything... Gear	Hm, difficult but interesting question.. One of the problems after WW2 was that the rules of what was war crimes or not hadn't been clearly defined yet.. The fourth Geneva Convention which handles the protection of civilians in time of war wasn't signed until August 1949. If a bombing of a city on that scale had happened today, it would have been classified as a war crime, but back then the cities was regarded as military targets since the breaking of the German morale was considered a deceicive(?) point. Civlian industrial workers was also considered military targets. I seem to remember that about 600,000 German civilians were killed by allied bombing of german cities, about 45,000 were killed in just one night alone in Hamburg July 1943.... Here's an interesting article about this topic: I haven't seen this site before, so I can't guarantee for it's credibility.. http://www.fpp.co.uk/online/00/02/Globe180200.html and another link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/...068437,00.html

May 2nd, 2004	Post 10
Snauhi Primus Pilus	i dont think that it was a crime.

Topic: War crimes WWII?

Post; War crimes WWII?

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