"Victors' Justice"

[Mairead]

The crimes against humanity we deplore today aren't by any means the first blots on the US record.

In 1942, a German U-boat commander, Kapitänleutnant Werner Hartenstein, radioed for help. He'd just sunk what he'd thought was a troop transport off the coast of Africa only to find out it had been filled with Italian POWs and British civilians. Admiral Dönitz, then commander of subs, ordered 3 other subs to the area to help with the rescue.

As they motored for shore, with over a thousand of the Laconia surviors littering the subs' decks and being towed behind in life-rafts, Hartenstein sent out a call in clear giving their position and asking any ships in the area to come take the survivors on board. He promised a truce for the purpose of the rescue.

A US bomber overflew the position and Hartenstein radioed the pilot, requesting assistance. The pilot radioed back to base that there were 4 German subs with Red Cross flags draped over their guns that were engaged in a rescue operation and asking for help.

The duty officer that day, one Captain Robert Richardson III, replied 'sink the subs'.

The bomber pilot obeyed orders, circling around and attacking the subs with bombs. This forced the sub commanders to dive, abandoning the surviors, many of whom died as a result.

Admiral Dönitz issued an order that no more rescue attempts were to be made: 'All efforts to save the survivors of torpedoed ships, such as rescuing swimmers and getting them into lifeboats, righting overturned lifeboats, or handing over food and water, must stop. ... Harden your hearts. Remember that when bombing German cities our opponents have no regard for women or children!'.

For that order, he was convicted of war crimes and served a prison term.

It was never explained why Captain Richardson was not even charged with a war crime, much less convicted. Instead, he enjoyed a nice career, rising to the rank of Brigadier General before retiring.

Ave bossa nova, similis bossa seneca.

[bemildred]

1. And so it has always been. nt

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

4. Yep.

In the end, who's right doesn't matter. Just who's left.

[pnorman]

2. Thanks for that.

I was, to say the least, skeptical so I Googled and came up with this: http://www.uboat.net/men/hartenstein.htm That in turn led to this: http://www.uboat.net/ops/laconia.htm

It's neccessary to bear in mind that even the War that has passed the test of history (even the vanquished largely agree) is riddled with such atrocities. But FAR worse is a War (Invasion) that's founded almost entirely on LIES.

pnorman

[Mairead]

3. You're welcome. Why were you skeptical? (nt)

[hootinholler]

5. Tis the proper attiude these days.

Question everything, because there are so many lying liars out there in the world.

I've heard tell that some have even made it into high offices.

I excpect everything I write without supporting documentation these days to be questioned. I don't take it personally, I welcome the scrutiny, it only makes the case stronger in the end.

-Hoot

[pnorman]

6. No offenced intended,

but it has, of necessity, become second-nature. My web-travels frequently take me to nazi-apologist sites that are LOADED with similiar stories. A few check out, and a larger number check out slightly, but are heavily distorted. An even larger number DON'T check out at all ... they're pure BULL-SHIT. Needless to say, they're all Holocaust-deniers to the core.

My union (I'm retired) is a maritime union, and there are some Bush-supporters there, including on the Members BBS. Here's what I just added to a Cindy Sheehan thread I had initiated a few days ago:

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"Hugh, all wars included a good measure of deception" ... not just "deception", but even atrocities. Here is what I mean: http://www.uboat.net/ops/laconia.htm

There are other such "incidents" including in the Pacific, but WW II, by and large, has passed the test of history ... even the vanquished largely agree. But WHAT could be said of a war that's based so thoroughly on LIES?
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The first sentence included a quote from an earlier posting I had made on that thread. I hadn't intended to go back and document it, but when I saw your posting, I thought it appropriate.

pnorman

[Mairead]

7. And none taken. I was only curious.

I accidently ran across a mention of 'the Laconia Incident' and, like you, followed it up, finding quite a few references (whence my feeling that I didn't need to document it in the posting--it seemed to be a very (in)famous incident).

In a couple of the references, the authors took an exculpatory tack with respect to Richardson, saying that he had no choice, that he had to try to get rid of the subs that would otherwise carry on preying on Allied shipping, and that therefore what he did wasn't a war crime. Needless to say, that's a view I reject utterly. Captain Hartenstein and his colleagues should have got medals from the Allies for their attempt to save lives, not had bombs dropped on them.

(I thought it a bit saddening that at least 2 of the rescuing subs were sunk with all hands within the year, by other US bombers)