Hello wonderful world. I need your help.
For my A2 Media Coursework, i need to ask myself one question.
"What is classified as a ‘War Crime’ and does the media affect it in anyway?"
I need to grab some opinions on this topic. Hopefully, if this blog is successful (which i am not expecting) i might be able to gain atleast 1 member of the 'world' to comment.
Thanks
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3 comments:
The one thing I can think of is that a war crime can basically only be committed by the losing side in any war. I think the former president said pretty much the same thing after the atomic bombings of Japan.
Also, the claim that something is a war crime has to suit the winning side. Again, after WW2 Hirohito was not tried as a war criminal. This was because the Allies (mainly America) new that he could be a useful figurehead for the new Japan.
For something to be a war crime, you have consider a couple key issues:
1) Who committed the crime?
A soldier, following orders, can hardly be held responsible if his orders result in someone dying. Even an innocent person. Casualties occur in times of war. It's a fact. However, a general who willingly and knowingly orders a division of soldiers to invade, conquer, and kill an entire village could be help culpable, especially if it could be proven that the village was not a logical war target (i.e. no major leaders were living there, they weren't harboring weapon storage, etc.)
2. What was the crime?
Killing millions of people due to their ethnic or racial heritage would be considered by most to be a war crime. Torturing POWs is similar (although the concept of torture is CERTAINLY up for debate).
Is ordering a full-scale invasion considered a "War Crime"? How about issuing orders that would result in the loss of military life?
At some point too, you must consider the standard by which crime is judged. Who or what issues such a standard? If Germany had won WW2, not only would Himmler, Goebbels, etc. not been charged with war crimes, they would have been hailed as heros. What about our "great generals"? Was Nagasaki or Hiroshima a war crime? They certainly resulted in massive civilian casualties... But they also shortened the war and prevented the deaths of mllions of American and Japanese soldiers.
In the end, the victor is the one left to write the history books.
This all goes to opinions, since there is [in my opinion] no ultimate truth, there is no way to answer this question, as it depends on viewpoints.
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