Ethics of pilots fighting for the sides in WWII

[MrBaato]

Originally Posted by Splitter

My frustration is that blind "hatred" is often tolerated by too many on this board.
Splitter

Well well, blind hatred.. I did provocate a little xD

I quite like flying american planes, pretty challanging
but for instance tv-programs claiming the p51 was the n1 ride in WWII and a symbol of the US makes it less attractive for me

[moilami]

I pee on American planes and burn Harley Davidson's

(Will be interesting to see do I get banned now.)

[Splitter]

Originally Posted by moilami

I pee on American planes and burn Harley Davidson's

(Will be interesting to see do I get banned now.)

Nah, you are focusing on Americans, you will be fine here.

Splitter

[Avimimus]

Congrats everyone on 200 posts without too much fire or smoke!

[llama_thumper]

Has anyone mentioned the chute-killing and civilian-straffing 'honourable' Luftwaffe pilots yet during the Poland 1939 campaign (not to mention the bombing of civilian cities way before Rotterdam or London)? Thought it might be worth a mention since some posters here seem to have amnesia when mentioning the Luftwaffe pilots were 'just doing their job'... or is that OK since they didn't do that in the West (apparently?)?

[Codex]

Forgive me if this has been brought up already (I've only read the first few pages) however we must also remember the act of conscription and the penalties for desertion.

My grandfather served as a machine gunner in the Wehrmacht, he’d often mention that if you refused to obey or desert your unit not only did you face a court-marshal (if caught) but there was the possibility of reprisals against family members.


Choice was limited.

[Avimimus]

Originally Posted by llama_thumper

Has anyone mentioned the chute-killing and civilian-straffing 'honourable' Luftwaffe pilots yet during the Poland 1939 campaign (not to mention the bombing of civilian cities way before Rotterdam or London)? Thought it might be worth a mention since some posters here seem to have amnesia when mentioning the Luftwaffe pilots were 'just doing their job'... or is that OK since they didn't do that in the West (apparently?)?

Wasn't that their job (the bombing civilian targets anyway)? Even if it is a poorly thought out job - and one done with too much zeal.

Originally Posted by Codex

Forgive me if this has been brought up already (I've only read the first few pages) however we must also remember the act of conscription and the penalties for desertion.

My grandfather served as a machine gunner in the Wehrmacht, he’d often mention that if you refused to obey or desert your unit not only did you face a court-marshal (if caught) but there was the possibility of reprisals against family members.

Choice was limited.

That is very interesting. I could especially see this being the case towards the end of the war.

I remember a study that showed that the worst that soldiers generally received for refusing to stay in an einsatzgruppen was being yelled at, humiliated and skipped over for promotion - but refusing to kill civilians is very different from desertion.

It is interesting to think that Nazi Germany - despite everything that was done, recognised this distinction just as we do today.

[swiss]

Originally Posted by Avimimus

but refusing to kill civilians is very different from desertion. [.]
It is interesting to think that Nazi Germany - despite everything that was done, recognised this distinction just as we do today.

My ass.
Both, refusal to obey orders and desertion could be punished by the death penalty.
In both cases your supervisor could do that on the field, without trial.

Have you ever wondered why(in most armies) only officers carry a handgun?
(In Switzerland we call the officers SIG P220: leadership support tool '75)

[Boandlgramer]

Originally Posted by llama_thumper

Has anyone mentioned the chute-killing and civilian-straffing 'honourable' Luftwaffe pilots yet during the Poland 1939 campaign (not to mention the bombing of civilian cities way before Rotterdam or London)? Thought it might be worth a mention since some posters here seem to have amnesia when mentioning the Luftwaffe pilots were 'just doing their job'... or is that OK since they didn't do that in the West (apparently?)?

The bombing of civilian poeple hasn´t begun 1939.
WW I , Iraq 1937 ...............

[moilami]

Originally Posted by llama_thumper

Has anyone mentioned the chute-killing and civilian-straffing 'honourable' Luftwaffe pilots yet during the Poland 1939 campaign (not to mention the bombing of civilian cities way before Rotterdam or London)? Thought it might be worth a mention since some posters here seem to have amnesia when mentioning the Luftwaffe pilots were 'just doing their job'... or is that OK since they didn't do that in the West (apparently?)?

Any link? I am just curious to read, not suggesting anything.

All major air forces bombed civilians and maybe strafed too. So if you say Germans were bastards please do say Englanders and Americans were bastards too. Or maybe say those who gave such orders were bastards? By the way what you would had done as a pilot of B-17?

Regarding chute shooting there are two valid views. One is chutes should not be shot and the other one is chutes are legal target and there is no laws nor Geneve deals saying the opposite. Were Polish pilots bastards for shooting chutes? I would not say so. They maybe just took things personally and wanted to eliminate the enemy. If you are a soldier, you are risking you life in order to defeat the enemy and protect your people. You are not safe and can't ask to be safe untill you have surrendered.

Or what do you think? In the meanwhile watch this and see what will happen when SoW is released

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8omGCPpoSJo

Make a special note on how Luftwaffe pilots has cleaned the skies of enemies.