What about that first scene in War Games, where the two guys in the nuclear missile silo get the order to launch, one of them refuses to turn the key and the other draws his pistol to force him to do so? We’re talking about not lying down and dying in a nuclear wasteland here.
Just one anecdote. For those who are familiar with Band Of Brothers CPT Speirs is rumored to have shot a Sergeant to death for refusing an order under fire. Ambrose does not come out and say that it happened but hints at it. Later writings by MAJ Winters don’t hint, he comes out and says that it happened as well as Speirs executing several POWs. I have no idea what the rules were in WWII. I do know that if it happened now he would be in jail.
One of my step fathers (they were both WWII infantry vets) told me that prisoners were often murdered.
“Private Plant, take this prisoner back to headquarters.” I have no idea where headquarters is, there are Germans all around trying to shoot my young ass, and I’m scared to death. So he tries to escape, I shoot him and go back and report to my Sergeant who says, “Too bad. Welcome back.”
I think you will find that there were many deaths at the hands of the military amongst the ranks- and that includes the shooting of officers by enlisted men ( I am talking the Great War). Legal- no. Did it happen? Yes.
As you may be aware I was involved in the Shot At Dawn Campaign.
I was going to ask that same question. I remember that scene, though as I recall it was actually the senior bloke who got cold feet, because I remember the other guy pointing his pistol at him and saying, “Turn the key, SIR!”
Anybody know?
Actual policies aside, this almost sounds like a “game theory” problem.
I’ve read that this was often the fate of Waffen SS soldiers, esp, after the Malmedy massacre.
I agree with decimation originally meaning that 1/10th were killed, (not 9/10th as in today’s usual meaning), but cite that it related to “insubordination or other disturbance”? I’ve always understood that it related to the loss in morale from losing 10th of your fellow soldiers in battle, not anything related to punishment.
Nope. It was used, mostly to punish cowardly behaviour on the battle field, to rally the troops for future engagement. Wiki even has an article on it.