The Laws and Customs of War: Difference between revisions

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Merchant sailors are in an ambiguous position. Not only do they necessarily have a paramilitary chain of command for dealing with sea hazards, more importantly they often have a legal position as naval auxiliaries. Furthermore they are generally used to transport troops and supplies. They also often carry arms on their own account for self defense purposes though this varies through different times(in World War II it was common to put a naval cadre aboard a merchant to handle it's guns rather then risk the charge of being illegal combatants). In the eighteenth century commerce raiders gave merchants a chance to surrender but the advent of submersibles which could neither afford to spend time halting before what might be a Q-ship(disguised warship), nor carry prize crews put the kibosh on that. Thus merchants were treated as de facto combatants during the world wars despite any agreements to the contrary.

"To whom it may concern" bombardments or blockades of besieged cities, while [[Understatement|not necessarily held in highest esteem]] have in some periods of history been regarded as an unfortunate fact of life. In [[World War 2]] [[Understatement|which was not a particularly chivalrous war in any event]], this could be extended to any city which might conceivably be of strategic relevance partly out of [[Cycle of Revenge|spite]] and partly to remind everyone that there is still a war going on. Even in [[World War 2]] actual ~~execution~~ of innocent civilians by ground based forces to say nothing of [[Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil|special]] [[Made a Slave|forms]] of evil was considered beyond the [[Moral Event Horizon]] and done by the baddest of baddies, possibly because much of history does show the winner's perspective, possibly because a ground based soldier is mistreating someone who is obviously a person and not just pushing a button and possibly because bombs or shells might or might not hit someone and are only aimed at geographical areas. Or whatever. In any case there are degrees held to apply, rightly or wrongly, even in mistreatment of noncombatants.

"To whom it may concern" bombardments or blockades of besieged cities, while [[Understatement|not necessarily held in highest esteem]] have in some periods of history been regarded as an unfortunate fact of life. In [[World War 2]] [[Understatement|which was not a particularly chivalrous war in any event]], this could be extended to any city which might conceivably be of strategic relevance partly out of [[Cycle of Revenge|spite]] and [[Defiant to the End|partly to remind everyone]] that there is still a war going on in the opening phases when it looked like the Allies had bowed out. And later to frighten a surrender, break the enemy air power, or [[He Who Fights Monsters|just out of habit]], or for a complex number of reasons. Even in [[World War 2]] though actual killing of innocent civilians by ground based forces to say nothing of [[Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil|special]] [[Made a Slave|forms]] of evil was considered beyond the [[Moral Event Horizon]] and done by the baddest of baddies, possibly because much of history does show the winner's perspective, possibly because a ground based soldier is mistreating someone who is obviously a person and not just pushing a button and possibly because bombs or shells might or might not hit someone and are only aimed at geographical areas. Or whatever. In any case there are degrees held to apply, rightly or wrongly, even in mistreatment of noncombatants.

=== Name, rank and number- Prisoners Of War ===