Author Topic: Respect during war times  (Read 312 times)

Offline Damaso

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Respect during war times
« on: 24-08-2013, 14:08:55 »
So i was checking about Manfred Von Richthoften (the "ace of the aces" during world war I), and i found out than he was respected EVEN by the enemy during the war time, and wen he died, the allies from world war 1 decided to make somekind of cerimonies in honor to Manfred Von Richthoften behavior during the war (by "behavior" i mean how he managed to be the best pilot in world war 1, and maybe in the wole history, but that cant be compared nowadays because airplanes are diferent, and pilots may parachute now)


Hoewer, the wole point of this its because of respect... and there is one ting than i sometimes thinking: "respect during war times"

Nowadays, people suck: they see the enemy, and they automaticaly start shooting at it, or sometimes, people just go there and kill the enemy and he doesnt even know than hes beind underatacked (and sometimes, its not enemy´s but inocent civiliants)

But back in Roman Age, Medieval Age (maybe?) Napoleonic Age, and World War 1, people were more kinda respectfull to each other, even if they were enemies...

That is someting than comoves me... one day for example, i saw an movie about World War I, and there was an trench figth going on... 3 British soldiers hoewer, have fear of the figth, and go hide in a crate (im plenty sure its not spelled crate... basicaly, its an hole in a ground created by a bomb)

Meanwile, as they hide over there, they see 3 German Soldiers rigth infront of them! (hiding too) AND, one of the british was kinda about to point the gun to them... but then, instead of shooting eachother, they both start looking scared to each others, and go out of the hole (nobody got shot)

I also know than during World War 1, there was a time than Germans and British soldiers ceased fire, and started to play football wich eachother! (incredible! altougth i kinda hate football, i think it shows somekind of compaxion, or attempt to have an friendly behavior over the enemy) hoewer, the situation coulnt continue and Germans wanted to advance... so the german high command ordered them to stop football parties with British and to start advancing (im not sure about this but maybe)

BUt guess what? instead of Germans made an surprised atack over British Trenches, they just telled them to prepare for the war again (im not sure about this... but i dont really think than they started to shoot british soldiers who atempted to go talk with germans about football parties... they migh have warned them  than war time was back)

Nowadays, thats someting imposible! even in a war between 2 formal countries (United States; Russia), each country will worry about themself, and they will look always to the enemy as someting to kill... but also to desrespect, betraith, and all other bad tings...

I cant imagine U.S. soldiers trying to get friendly with the enemy (if the enemy is a country, not an terrorist organization or citizen insurgency) nowadays... hoewer, i could imagine an American not shooting the enemy, even if he saw him during world war I because of "Trench ceasefire"

Basicaly, back in 1900 (or other older ages) you could respect the enemy, and enemy respect you, there are obvioulsy some people who will betraith you, but it was kinda rare back over those ages... but now its impossible! if you surrender to the enemy nowadays, you may not even have time to place an white flag: somewone apears and kill you unarmed, and then yells: "YEAH! I KILLED AN ENEMY MOTHAFUKAR! DIE BITCH!" and youre death... maybe if you had an pistol and tried to kill him, he would be death... hoewer, you surrendered, and the asshole will kill you eigther


But in the old days, an enemy who claims to surrender, it would be serious stuff: they wouldnt get shot wile trying to surrender, and even the surrenderes if they had an oportunity to betraith the enemy wile surrendering, i think in most of the cases they wouldnt do it...

There were trusth back there: if the enemy says "I will not shoot you, and i surrender" they wouldnt definitivaly shoot you (in some rare cases they would... but im speaking in general)

Even in the middle age, to make an battle, the nobles would combine with eachother to meet up their troops in an determined place to make an battle, and the nobles wouldnt get killed before the battle started

And even if you losed the figth, and the enemy noble was about to make you prisioner, they could release you because you figthed well (im not sure about this... but if its really true, its fuking beautifull)

And thats why i get a bit happy wen we start making an bayonet figth over FH2 (unfortunamently only works with like 20 players): because we speak with the enemy, and we are like all together in a same place winout shooting anywone until the musket figth starts (i know it is a game, anyway people kinda respect eachother during these moments.. and they dont start to kill for score or someting, but they actually respect what the people are trying to do)

Give your opinion about this please, or correct me if im wrong in any aspects (i migh be in some cases)

Offline Redbadd

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Re: Respect during war times
« Reply #1 on: 24-08-2013, 15:08:48 »
If you are really interested, you need to read up more about it, your assumptions are basic at best. And it is far to complicated to tell about it here. But you examples are eceptions that prove the rule and chivalry was a made up notion.

Human history shows that man has a remarkable abillity to kill eachother and find pleasure in it throughout the ages.
It's just that there is a taboo in society to brag about it, but there have always been people that have found pleasure in killing and warfairing for what ever reason.

In WW1 there could be soldiers designated to excecute prisoners so as they wouldn't slow down or weaken the attack etc.  I dont want to put up a wall of text so ill leave with a quote from :

Soldaten Protokolle vom Kaempfen, Toeten und Sterben.

"It has become a need for me to drop bombs. It really tickles me, it's such a nice feeling. It's just as nice as shooting someone down."

From a Overleutnant der Luftwaffe, 17. Juli 1940