# Giving "No quarter" in war **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 23, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022 "2013-12-23T16:54:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/21 "2013-12-24T16:52:30Z")
> [@cckerberos](#): > > There are many reports of Allied soldiers refusing surrenders or killing Japanese prisoners during WW2. But while I’ve heard it argued that it was condoned by the higher ups, I don’t think it was ever officially endorsed. Well, the paratroop forces operated a bit differently that other conventional forces. Not in a position to get a cite, however, so not sure if it was ‘officially endorsed’ that no prisoners would be taken in certain circumstances, but it’s hard to understand how they WOULD take prisoners when they were far behind enemy lines with no logistics or heavy weapons/support. As for the Japanese, that was as much their own issue as ours, since until fairly late in the war the Japanese themselves often refused to surrender, even booby trapping their wounded or having their wounded continuing to fight until killed. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/22 "2013-12-24T16:59:17Z")
> [@Werekoala](#): > > I assumed “no quarter” was issued when defenders refused to surrender simply because the attacker wants to save time, manpower, and resources. Basically - “You guys don’t want to die, and we don’t want to have to waste our efforts digging you out to kill you, so give up now and we’ll let you go. If you make us waste our efforts, you’ll pay with your lives.” Exactly, at least wrt siege warfare, that was the common practice until fairly late in the day. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/23 "2013-12-24T18:27:13Z")
> [@XT](#): > > As for the Japanese, that was as much their own issue as ours, since until fairly late in the war the Japanese themselves often refused to surrender, even booby trapping their wounded or having their wounded continuing to fight until killed. While that would explain Allied reluctance to take Japanese prisoners, it doesn’t address the times when the surrenders were accepted and the disarmed Japanese prisoners were then killed. In any case, I simply mentioned it as a case of “no quarter”; I have no interest in discussing whether the Allies were justified in their actions or not. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/24 "2013-12-24T18:35:15Z")
> [@cckerberos](#): > > While that would explain Allied reluctance to take Japanese prisoners, it doesn’t address the times when the surrenders were accepted and the disarmed Japanese prisoners were then killed. > > In any case, I simply mentioned it as a case of “no quarter”; I have no interest in discussing whether the Allies were justified in their actions or not. AFAIK (from memory) the Japanese didn’t attempt to surrender in significant numbers until fairly late in the war. This isn’t trying to excuse or justify allied action, but instead to explain the reality of the situation…basically, you can’t take prisoners of folks who won’t surrender. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/25 "2013-12-25T13:50:25Z")
> [@cckerberos](#): > > While that would explain Allied reluctance to take Japanese prisoners, it doesn’t address the times when the surrenders were accepted and the disarmed Japanese prisoners were then killed. > > In any case, I simply mentioned it as a case of “no quarter”; I have no interest in discussing whether the Allies were justified in their actions or not. …but the thing is, that really isn’t a case. “No quarter” is more of an announcement at the front end and an understanding that both sides have. That’s why I didn’t think Goliad (mentioned above) was a good example either. I thought that the Texans surrendered with the understanding that they would be allowed to live… regardless of any concerns in their minds based on the reputation that the Mexicans had for killing prisoners. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/26 "2013-12-25T16:26:09Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > That’s why I didn’t think Goliad (mentioned above) was a good example either. I thought that the Texans surrendered with the understanding that they would be allowed to live… regardless of any concerns in their minds based on the reputation that the Mexicans had for killing prisoners. True. The declaration by the Mexican Congress was kept secret, so that soldiers who surrendered were not aware that they were subject to execution (except for those who were unarmed when captured, who were spared). However, then the Alamo itself isn’t a good example either, since the defenders were never given the opportunity to surrender before the Mexicans attacked. The “no quarter” flag was raised from the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/27 "2013-12-25T20:23:00Z")
> [@XT](#): > > There is a scene in Saving Private Ryan where, after a hard fought beach attack the defenders in the bunkers were basically given no quarter, and were summarily shot. It’s just a movie, but my understanding is that, while this wasn’t official, it did happen. And I think officially, the guys who were air dropped in the rear were told not to take prisoners (not that they could have), so that would also be a case of no quarter given. > [@XT](#): > > Well, the paratroop forces operated a bit differently that other conventional forces. Not in a position to get a cite, however, so not sure if it was ‘officially endorsed’ that no prisoners would be taken in certain circumstances, but it’s hard to understand how they WOULD take prisoners when they were far behind enemy lines with no logistics or heavy weapons/support. This is absolutely 100% untrue. There was no policy, official or unofficial that paratroopers not take prisoners. Such a policy would be a flagrant war crime; the prohibition against declaring no quarter goes back to Hague 1899 and has been part and parcel of every international treaty on the customs and laws of war since. [Article 23](http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/hague02.asp): > [@](#): > > Article 23 > Besides the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially prohibited:– > > To employ poison or poisoned arms; > > To kill or wound treacherously individuals belonging to the hostile nation or army; > > To kill or wound an enemy who, having laid down arms, or having no longer means of defence, has surrendered at discretion; > > To declare that no quarter will be given; There is absolutely nothing hard about taking prisoners in an airborne operation, and prisoners were taken (and lost) in every airborne operation of the war. [Sicily](http://www.ww2-airborne.us/division/campaigns/sicily.html): > [@](#): > > By D+3, they had accomplished their initial mission and were relieved by the 1st Infantry Division to return to regimental control. On 13 July, the 504th moved out in the attack, spearheading the 82nd Airborne Division’s drive northwest 150 miles along the southern coast of Sicily. With captured Italian light tanks, trucks, motorcycles, horses, mules, bicycles, and even wheelbarrows pressed into service, the 82nd encountered only light resistance and took 22,000 prisoners in their first contact with Nazi and Fascist forces. Overall, the Sicilian operation proved costly both in lives and equipment, but the unit gained valuable fighting experience and managed to hurt the enemy in the process. It was with this experience and pride that the 504th returned to its base in Kairouan, Tunisia, to prepare for the invasion of mainland Italy. [Ste Mere-Eglise, Normandy](http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/dday/airborne.aspx) > [@](#): > > Ste Mere-Eglise stood in a pivotal location between Cherbourg and Caen whose capture fell to the 82nd Airborne. Unfortunately, sections of two planeloads of parachutists (2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 505th Parachute Infantry) were dropped directly over the village. To make the decent even worse, a farmhouse had caught fire either from tracers or the preceding aerial bombardment and illuminated the entire surrounding sky - making perfects targets out of the descending paratroopers. Many were killed on their way down, at least two were drawn into the fire itself, and many more were killed by the Germans after becoming entangled in trees and roofs. The few who did make it alive to the ground were almost immediately taken prisoner. After the initial excitement, curiously, the Germans went back to bed after the immediate threat subsided. [Ste Mere-Eglise, Normandy](http://warchronicle.com/dday/utah/all_american_eagles.htm) > [@](#): > > Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole, commanding the 3d Battalion, landed several hundred yards east of Ste. Mère-Eglise (Map No. 3). Unable to orient himself, he moved toward Ste. Mère-Eglise, collecting a miscellaneous group of about thirty men from regimental headquarters, Company G of the 506th Parachute Infantry, and a few from the 82d Airborne Division. From Ste. Mère-Eglise the men back-tracked north and then northeast, heading for the two northern exits of the beach. On the way the group snowballed to about seventy-five men and made contact with a small enemy convoy. Several of the enemy were killed and ten taken prisoner. This was the only incident of the march. [Groesbeek heights, Operation Market-Garden](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden#82nd_Airborne_zone) > [@](#): > > Grave proved to be well defended and German forces continued to press on the 82nd deployed on the Groesbeek heights to the east of Nijmegen. The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment defended against German attacks in Horst, Grafwegen and Riethorst. Early in the day, German counterattacks seized one of the Allied landing zones where the Second Lift was scheduled to arrive at 13:00. The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment attacked at 13:10 and cleared the LZ by 14:00, capturing 16 German flak pieces and 149 prisoners. [Arnhem, Operation Market-Garden (photo caption)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Waffen_SS_snipers.jpg) > [@](#): > > Four Waffen SS troopers taken prisoner from 9th SS Reconnaissance Battalion at Arnhem Bridge, one is a seventeen years old. All of them are wearing the camouflage uniforms that were peculiar to the Waffen SS [Eindhoven, Operation Market-Garden](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden#101st_Airborne_zone) > [@](#): > > Faced with the loss of the bridge at Son, the 101st unsuccessfully attempted to capture a similar bridge a few kilometres away at Best but found the approach blocked. Other units continued moving to the south and eventually reached the northern end of Eindhoven. At 06:00 hours the Irish Guards Group resumed the advance while facing determined resistance from German infantry and tanks.[108] Around noon the 101st Airborne were met by the lead reconnaissance units from XXX Corps. At 16:00 radio contact alerted the main force that the Son bridge had been destroyed and requested that a Bailey bridge be brought forward.[citation needed] By nightfall the Guards Armoured Division had established itself in the Eindhoven area however transport columns were jammed in the packed streets of the town and were subjected to German aerial bombardment during the night. XXX Corps engineers, supported by German prisoners of war, constructed a class 40 Bailey bridge within 10 hours across the Wilhelmina Canal. [Arnhem area, Operation Market-Garden](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arnhem#Allied_losses) Total captured or missing from 1st British Airborne and associated units: 6,854. [Arnhem area, Operation Market-Garden](http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_arnhem.html): > [@](#): > > By mid-afternoon, the 1st Airlanding Brigade (1/Border, 7/KOSB & 2/South Staffs under Brigadier P H W Hicks) had started to secure the dropping zones west of Arnhem, and were already in action against the 16th SS Panzergrenadier Depot Battalion (Hauptsturmführer Sepp Krafft) and scratch units from the SS NCO Training School ‘Arnheim’ at Wolfheze, Luftwaffe troops from Deelen in Kampfgruppe ‘Weber’ and Dutch SS-Wachbattalion III (loosely translated as the 3rd SS Guard Battalion), a 1,200 man concentration camp guard unit set up under “Höhere SS und Polizeiführer - HSSPF” Nordwest. The first 47 prisoners taken by the British were from 27 different parent units. [Wolfheze (photo caption), Operation Market-Garden](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Group_of_German_prisoners.jpg): > [@](#): > > A group of German prisoners captured a few moments after the British troop-carrying gliders had landed at Wolfheze. 17 September 1944. [Nijmegen, Operation Market-Garden (photo caption)](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Large_group_of_German_prisoners.jpg) > [@](#): > > A large group of German soldiers who have been taken prisoner in Nijmegen and the surrounding area by American paratroopers of the 82nd U.S. Airborne Division, 17 - 20 September 1944 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/28 "2013-12-25T20:47:49Z")
_That_ is what I call fighting ignorance! 🙂 One of my step fathers indirectly described to me that his infantry unit killed prisoners in Europe, perhaps the Bulge. “Private Plant, take this prisoner back to headquarters. You have no clue where Headquarters is with the lines moving. You’re scared as shit. So the prisoner tries to escape. You go back and the Sergeant says, “Tough.”” ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/29 "2013-12-26T02:44:41Z")
> [@Dissonance](#): > > This is absolutely 100% untrue. There was no policy, official or unofficial that paratroopers not take prisoners. Such a policy would be a flagrant war crime; the prohibition against declaring no quarter goes back to Hague 1899 and has been part and parcel of every international treaty on the customs and laws of war since. [Article 23](http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/hague02.asp):There is absolutely nothing hard about taking prisoners in an airborne operation, and prisoners were taken (and lost) in every airborne operation of the war. > > [Sicily](http://www.ww2-airborne.us/division/campaigns/sicily.html): > > [Ste Mere-Eglise, Normandy](http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/dday/airborne.aspx) > > [Ste Mere-Eglise, Normandy](http://warchronicle.com/dday/utah/all_american_eagles.htm) > > [Groesbeek heights, Operation Market-Garden](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden#82nd_Airborne_zone) > > [Arnhem, Operation Market-Garden (photo caption)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Waffen_SS_snipers.jpg) > > [Eindhoven, Operation Market-Garden](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden#101st_Airborne_zone) > > [Arnhem area, Operation Market-Garden](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arnhem#Allied_losses) > Total captured or missing from 1st British Airborne and associated units: 6,854. > > [Arnhem area, Operation Market-Garden](http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_arnhem.html): > > [Wolfheze (photo caption), Operation Market-Garden](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Group_of_German_prisoners.jpg): > > [Nijmegen, Operation Market-Garden (photo caption)](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Large_group_of_German_prisoners.jpg) Excellent post. Ignorance fought. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/30 "2013-12-26T13:44:29Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > True. The declaration by the Mexican Congress was kept secret, so that soldiers who surrendered were not aware that they were subject to execution (except for those who were unarmed when captured, who were spared). However, then the Alamo itself isn’t a good example either, since the defenders were never given the opportunity to surrender before the Mexicans attacked. The “no quarter” flag was raised from the beginning. Huh? What exactly isn’t the Alamo a good example of?? In my OP I was trying to distinguish between a couple of examples of killing those who may want to surrender vs an established convention dealing with siege warfare. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/31 "2013-12-26T17:57:56Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > True. The declaration by the Mexican Congress was kept secret, so that soldiers who surrendered were not aware that they were subject to execution (except for those who were unarmed when captured, who were spared). However, then the Alamo itself isn’t a good example either, since the defenders were never given the opportunity to surrender before the Mexicans attacked. The “no quarter” flag was raised from the beginning. The fact that Santa Anna had made it clear to the defenders of the Alamo that “no quarter” would be given, by raising his blood red flag and by playing Èl Degüello, all of the defenders knew they faced a “kill or be killed” situation. That’s a pretty good example of “no quarter” warfare. The defenders no longer had an option of surrendering. \*When William Travis decided to defend the Alamo the insurrection of the Texans was more against the dictatorial rule of President-General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna than a rebellion against Mexico per se. This is evidenced by the flag that was flown over the Alamo. It was the Mexican tricolor of red, white and green modified by having 1824 sewn into the white strip. The 1824 stood for the liberal constitution that Mexico had adopted right after independence from Spain. Santa Anna had abrogated the constitution by taking away all autonomy of the Mexican states. Texas was not the only Mexican state to rebell against Santa Anna’s usurpation of power. Zacatecas and Yucatan, among others, rebelled as well. (Texas was not actually a separate Mexican state at the time. It was part of the dual state of Texas-Coahuila, a matter of some antagonism for the Texans at the time.) As it happened Texans elsewhere had declared independence by the time of the Battle of the Alamo but Travis was not aware of this and therefore the Mexican flag with 1824 emblazened on it continued to be flag the defenders of the Alamo fought under. **In contrast, when Santa Anna chose to make the Cathedral of San Fernando his headquarters he flew from the belfry of this church not the tricolor flag of Mexico but instead a pure blood-red flag to indicate that the insurrectionists would be butchered even if they surrendered** \*. [http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/alamo.htm](http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/alamo.htm) ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/32 "2013-12-26T18:11:31Z")
> [@cckerberos](#): > > While that would explain Allied reluctance to take Japanese prisoners, it doesn’t address the times when the surrenders were accepted and the disarmed Japanese prisoners were then killed. > > In any case, I simply mentioned it as a case of “no quarter”; I have no interest in discussing whether the Allies were justified in their actions or not. If you didn’t want to discuss it, maybe you shouldn’t have brought it up. The Imperial Japanese army had a long estabilshed history of killing their prisoners. Nanking, Bataan, Midway, etc… Were you referring to a specific incident of disarmed Japanese prisoners being killed by Australian or Allied soldiers? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/33 "2013-12-27T06:45:02Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Èl Degüello _A degüello_; if it was “el” it wouldn’t have an accent, and in any case never a grave. ---
**Author:** ![MaltLiquor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@MaltLiquor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaltLiquor)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/34 "2013-12-27T10:00:49Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Let’s not conflate “no quarter” and massacre. > > I think that “No quarter” was understood between the two sides under certain scenarios. In fact, a common phrase was “no quarter asked, no quarter given”. Even to this day warriors are warriors and some would prefer to die rather than be captured. I have never been in the military but pain and torture I think could endure…but there are a few that may break me. Even with all our war rules that we follow we all know it still happens. They didn’t even follow it though…an officer was always brought back to ransom or get info out of. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/35 "2013-12-27T10:49:33Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > _A degüello_; if it was “el” it wouldn’t have an accent, and in any case never a grave. “Toque a Degüello” seems to be the name for the bugle call. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/36 "2013-12-27T15:53:25Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > _A degüello_; if it was “el” it wouldn’t have an accent, and in any case never a grave. Thanks. Ignorance fought. (I used a cut-and-paste spelling since I had to google the proper spelling.) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2013, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/37 "2013-12-28T04:56:20Z")
> [@cornflakes](#): > > “Toque a Degüello” seems to be the name for the bugle call. Yep, but _toque_ just means “bugle call” and it’s often ommited/substituted by the verb, which happens to be _tocar_ (play (music)) or occasionally in the case of military calls, _llamar_ (lit to call). _Toque de revista_ (bugle call to review) but _llamar a revista_ (call (the troops) to review), _toque de diana_ (reveille bugle call) but _tocar diana_ (play reveille). ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/38 "2013-12-28T17:48:45Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > “ **Private Plant** , take this prisoner back to headquarters.” I see what you did there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/39 "2013-12-28T20:03:34Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > If you didn’t want to discuss it, maybe you shouldn’t have brought it up. The Imperial Japanese army had a long estabilshed history of killing their prisoners. Nanking, Bataan, Midway, etc… _shrug_ **XT** made mention to a scene of American soldiers shooting prisoners in Saving Private Ryan, saying that “my understanding is that, while this wasn’t official, it did happen”. I posted my statement in support of that. The question of whether the shooting of prisoners was justified or not is not an issue suitable for this forum and irrelevant to the OP. > [@](#): > > Were you referring to a specific incident of disarmed Japanese prisoners being killed by Australian or Allied soldiers? No, what I was referring to was widespread practice rather than a particular incident; the result of the dehumanization of the enemy, hatred, and brutal fighting present in the Pacific. The best book I’ve seen covering this (both the atmosphere and the treatment of prisoners) is John Dower’s _War Without Mercy_. An [article](http://wih.sagepub.com/content/11/2/148.full.pdf+html) by Niall Ferguson covers this (pages 180 and 181) as well and is more easily accessible, though. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022/40 "2013-12-28T21:19:48Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > I see what you did there. 😉 I don’t. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giving-no-quarter-in-war/677022.md?page=3)