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But the enemy in this war was fellow Europeans, sharing the same civilization, the same laws of war, more or less the same religion and outlook on life. "Frater
by clock_tower 11y ago
But the enemy in this war was fellow Europeans, sharing the same civilization, the same laws of war, more or less the same religion and outlook on life. "Fraternizing with the enemy" is only a problem if you're a stuffy old archvillain like Haig or Ludendorff -- or if you're fighting against an enemy with whom you really don't have very much in common. (The Iraqi insurgents, for example, liked to wear plainclothes in battle, set up mortar plates in schools and hospitals, and fight while waving white flags.)
- vlehto 11y agoThen again both sides have their regular share of psychopaths. If you have that 1/20 bad luck, the enemy guard might shoot you just to see your intestines spread on the snow. And at the end of the day he is war hero, you are corpse. So the guys who really did it were either very empathetic, daft or had a death wish. I'm going to go with empathy, but would not have joined them.
- licoricetic 11y agoDo you think they really liked to do all that?
- clock_tower 11y agoIf it let them win? Yes. Read _The Prince of the Marshes_, and read up on the nature of shame cultures.