Ethics of pilots fighting for the sides in WWII

[Avimimus]

I don't really feel like discussing this. But, I'm deferring to the judgment of the community and posting the reply in this new thread.

Originally Posted by Richie

It's funny that's the last thing I think of my 109.....a Nazi machine. I think the higher ups were nothing but an irritating puzzlement and source of amusement to all of the Jagdgeschwader commanders and their pilots.

Originally Posted by Avimimus

It certainly didn't keep them from following orders and killing a lot of people.

Originally Posted by Richie

Well you're not going to leave your butt planted in a chair playing cards while enemy fighters and bombers are zooming around are you?...Or are you??? That statement makes no sense to me. A Spitfire, Hurricane or Mustang pilot all had the same job as a 109 pilot. Kill or be killed. If you don't kill that enemy he's going to get you.

The war shouldn't have happened. Following orders didn't help.

I recognise that the difference between one person fighting for their life and another isn't that great. Many people on the allied side were fighting for the wrong reasons as well (even though the side was the one that needed to win for humanity's sake).

But it doesn't change the fact that a lot of good people and innocents were killed by German pilots fighting the war. It also doesn't change the fact that they were fighting on behalf of a nation which had a horrible and inhumane regime that was simultaneously conducting horrible crimes.

Does that make sense?

Originally Posted by Triggaaar

You have more choice than kill or be killed. If you feel that the war effort you are involved in is seriously wrong and immoral, you have several choices. You can defect, refuse to fight (you'd have to run to neutral ground, easy in a 109), or even just not be very good. For example, a 109 pilot in a good position in the BoB could easily just turn and run home, assuming no one was watching. Even say you shot down the enemy and get a pat on the back.

I agree that Triggaaar is right that there were choices btw. Not easy ones though (especially for patriots or people who cared about what other's thought).

One can look at the treatment of draft dodgers or people who went AWOL in the past decade - in America - during wars of lower intensity, less ideology and less risk to the home country.