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⚫ '''Allied war crimes''' were violations of the ] committed by the Allies of World War II against civilian populations or the soldiers of the ].


⚫ '''Allied war crimes''' were violations of the ] committed by the Allies of World War II against civilian populations or the soldiers of the ]. Other incidents are alleged by certain historians to have been crimes under the law of war in operation at the time, but for a variety of reasons, were not investigated by the Allied powers during the war, or they were investigated and a decision was taken not to prosecute.
⚫ At the end of ], several trials of ] ]s took place, most famously were the ]. However, these tribunals were expressly prohibited from considering any allegations of war crimes committed by the ] or their military forces.


⚫ At the end of ], several trials of ] ]s took place, most famously were the ], leading to the deaths of 21 prominent Nazis. However, these tribunals were expressly prohibited from considering any allegations of war crimes committed by the ] or their military forces. Instead, seperate investigations were conducted regarding Allied personnel and alleged war crimes. If charged, this led to court-martialing.
Allied personnel were involved in incidents which were war crimes that were investigated by the Allied powers at the time, and led to courts-martial. Other incidents are alleged by historians to have been crimes under the law of war in operation at the time, but that for a variety of reasons were not investigated by the Allied powers during the war, or they were investigated and a decision was taken not to prosecute. It should be noted that many things classified as war crimes today were not such at the time.

It should be noted that many things classified as a war crime in today's standards were not during World War II.


== Incidents == == Incidents ==


Incidents that occurred during the involvement of the relevant nation in World War II include the following. Not all of these are agreed to be war crimes: Incidents that occurred during the involvement of the relevant nation in World War II include the following. Again, '''not all of these are agreed to be war crimes:'''


;Canada ;Canada
:*According to Mitcham and von Stauffenberg in the book "The Battle of Sicily", the Loyal Edmonton Regiment allegedly killed captured German prisoners during the fighting in ] in July 1943.<ref>Mithcham, Samuel and Friedrich von Stauffenberg '''''The Battle of Sicily'''''</ref> The incident is not mentioned in any other histories of the campaign however.<ref>Including the official Canadian Army history by Gerald Nicholson, ''D-Day Dodgers'' by Daniel G. Dancocks, or ''The Canadian Army: 1939-1945'', the official historical summary published by the Canadian Army Historical Section in 1948.</ref> :*], July 1943. The Loyal Edmonton Regiment allegedly killed captured German prisoners.<ref>Mithcham, Samuel and Friedrich von Stauffenberg '''''The Battle of Sicily'''''</ref>

:*] randomly burned houses in ], northwestern ] in April 1945 as a reprisal for the death of their commanding officer. The official historian of the Canadian Army, ], noted in his autobiography that it was the only incident he was aware of that could be considered a "war crime" associated with Canadian soldiers in the Second World War.<ref>Stacey, C.P. '''''A Date With History'''''</ref> :*] randomly burned houses in ], northwestern ] in April 1945 as a reprisal for the death of their commanding officer.<ref>The official historian of the Canadian Army, ], noted in his autobiography that it was the only incident he was aware of that could be considered a "war crime" associated with Canadian soldiers in the Second World War. see: Stacey, C.P. '''''A Date With History'''''</ref>


;] ;]
:*The "]" of ]: Some reports might be exaggerated. See the relevant page for details. :*The "]" of ]: (some reports are disputed. see the relevant page for details)


;Soviet Union: ;Soviet Union:
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* A Terrible Revenge: The Ethnic Cleansing of the East European Germans, 1944-1950 - ] - ] - ISBN 0-312-12159-8 * A Terrible Revenge: The Ethnic Cleansing of the East European Germans, 1944-1950 - ] - ] - ISBN 0-312-12159-8
* Barefoot in the Rubble - ] - ] - ISBN 0-9657793-0-0</ref>, in parts of ] (]) and ], and during the ] <ref>] '''' in ] ], ] </ref> and the ]. * Barefoot in the Rubble - ] - ] - ISBN 0-9657793-0-0</ref>, in parts of ] (]) and ], and during the ] <ref>] '''' in ] ], ] </ref> and the ].
:*]: The USSR hadn't joined the Allies yet, so this is not an "Allied" war crime. :*]
:*Sinking of the ].
:*Respect of international conventions: The Soviet Union had not signed the ] relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War. This may make it doubtful that the Soviet treatment of German and allied POWs, who "were treated even remotely in accordance with the Geneva Convention",<ref> website of Gendercide Watch</ref> causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands,<ref>Matthew White </ref> was a war crime. However, The Nuremberg Tribunal rejected this as a general argument, and held that the 1929 Geneva Convention was binding because it articulated general principles of international law that are binding on all nations in a conflict, despite one party's non-ratification of the Convention.<ref> © 2003 Educational Broadcasting Corporation</ref>
:*The ] ] and German allied ]'s: the Soviet Union did not sign the ], but the Nuremberg Tribunal found the general principles of international law, in respect to Nazi war crimes, had bound all belligerent nations to the accord despite the lack of universal ratification.<ref></ref><ref></ref><ref></ref>


;United Kingdom ;United Kingdom
:*The German ] historian ], claims that "] decision to bomb]] a shattered Germany between January and May 1945 was a war crime."<ref>Luke Harding in ], ], 2003</ref><ref>Friedrich states that "Civilian deaths were not ] but rather the object of the exercise." and he criticizes the "Allied policy of seeking to break German morale through bombing". Other historians note that there was little protection for civilians in the laws of war at the time, or dispute that civilians were deliberately targeted, stating that the primary aim was to reduce the industrial capacity of Germany. Luke Harding in ], ], 2003. A legal argument says that if tactics in war become common place for all sides and if there is no breach of a written convention/treaty, then common usage makes it legal under customary practice ("''If international law is not enforced, persistent violations can conceivably be adopted as customary practice, permitting conduct that was once prohibited''" ( (PDF) Page 57/58)).</ref> :*] and ] of German cities and towns, based on situational analysis and debatable intentions.<ref>German ] historian ] claims that "] decision to...bomb Germany between January and May 1945 was a war crime." see: Luke Harding in ], ], 2003</ref><ref>Friedrich states that "Civilian deaths were not ] but rather the object of the exercise." Some also dispute that civilians were deliberately targeted, stating that the primary aim was to reduce the industrial capacity of Germany.</ref>(disputed, as opinions vary) <ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/11/19/nchurc19.xml]</ref><ref>http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=277121069229925]</ref><ref>http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/review-859-p429/$File/irrc_859_Maier.pdf#search=%22%22J%C3%B6rg%20Friedrich%22%20%22war%20crimes%22%20review%22]</ref><ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1067232,00.html German historian provokes row over war photos]</ref>


;United States: ;United States:
:*]- On orders from U.S. Army Air Force General ], U.S. aircraft strafed and bombed unarmed survivors from Japanese warships and transports swimming in the ocean.<!--This may not be a war crime because it was interdiction of troops on their way in to battle. Needs source for this POV as well--> :*]- On orders from U.S. Army Air Force General ], U.S. aircraft strafed and bombed unarmed survivors from Japanese warships and transports swimming in the ocean.{{fact}}
:*Strafing unarmed surivors from the sunken Japanese cruiser ] <ref>in ],], ], aircraft from the USS ''Lexington'' participated in the strafing, as survivors bobbed in the waters of Manila Bay. source: Lacroix, ''Japanese Cruisers'', p. 356.</ref> :*Strafing unarmed surivors from the sunken Japanese cruiser ] <ref>in ],], ], aircraft from the USS ''Lexington'' participated in the strafing, as survivors bobbed in the waters of Manila Bay. source: Lacroix, ''Japanese Cruisers'', p. 356.</ref>
:*] :*]
:*] :*]
:*] :*]
:*]: (see the UK entry for information, disputed as well)
:*]: In 1963 these were the subject of a ] in '']''<ref> , Tokyo District Court, ] ]</ref>. On the 22nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the District Court of Tokyo declined to rule on the legality of nuclear weapons in general, but found that "the attacks upon Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused such severe and indiscriminate suffering that they did violate the most basic legal principles governing the conduct of war."<ref>{{cite news :*], based on the ] in '']''<ref>, Tokyo District Court, ] ]</ref>.
| first=Richard A.
| last=Falk |title=The Claimants of Hiroshima
| date=]-] |publisher=The Nation}} reprinted in
{{cite book
| editor=Richard A. Falk, Saul H. Mendlovitz eds.
| title=The Strategy of World Order. Volume: 1
| publisher=World Law Fund
| year=1966 |location=New York
| chapter=The Shimoda Case: Challenge and Response
| pages=pp. 307-13}}</ref> However, the prevalent international legal opinion is that these bombings were not a war crime.<ref>John Bolton ''"''", US ambassador to the United Nations, Winter 2001</ref><ref name="ICRC"></ref>


;Yugoslav Communist Partisan Forces: ;Yugoslav Communist Partisan Forces:
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:*] :*]


== Other Controversy ==
----


In the Nuremberg trial, German Admiral ] was tried (among other crimes) for issuing orders to engage in ]. He was found guilty, but the sentence was not assessed (i.e. he got no penalty) because the court discovered evidence that both the British ] and the ] also issued similar orders. <ref> the ] at the ] </ref> In the Nuremberg trial, German Admiral ] was tried (among other crimes) for issuing orders to engage in ]. He was found guilty, but the sentence was not assessed (i.e. he got no penalty) because the court discovered evidence that both the British ] and the ] also issued similar orders. <ref> the ] at the ] </ref>
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:*] :*]


== Comparative deaths rates of POWs ==
The "democratic states generally provide good treatment of
POWs".

=== Death rates of POWs held by Germany and Japan ===
*Soviet soldiers held by Germany: around 60%
*U.S. and Commonwealth soldiers held by Japan: 27%
*U.S. and Commonwealth soldiers held by Germany: 4%


=== Death rates of POWs held by the U.S, the Commonwealth, and the Soviet Union===
*German soldiers held by Soviet Union: 15-33%
*Japanese soldiers held by Soviet Union: 10%
*German soldiers held by U.S. and Commonwealth: less than 1%
*Japanese soldiers held by U.S.: relatively low, mainly suicides


==See also== ==See also==

Revision as of 17:30, 1 November 2006

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Allied war crimes were violations of the laws of war committed by the Allies of World War II against civilian populations or the soldiers of the Axis Armed Forces. Other incidents are alleged by certain historians to have been crimes under the law of war in operation at the time, but for a variety of reasons, were not investigated by the Allied powers during the war, or they were investigated and a decision was taken not to prosecute.

At the end of World War II, several trials of Axis war criminals took place, most famously were the Nuremberg Trials, leading to the deaths of 21 prominent Nazis. However, these tribunals were expressly prohibited from considering any allegations of war crimes committed by the Allied powers or their military forces. Instead, seperate investigations were conducted regarding Allied personnel and alleged war crimes. If charged, this led to court-martialing.

It should be noted that many things classified as a war crime in today's standards were not during World War II.

Incidents

Incidents that occurred during the involvement of the relevant nation in World War II include the following. Again, not all of these are agreed to be war crimes:

Canada
  • Leonforte, July 1943. The Loyal Edmonton Regiment allegedly killed captured German prisoners.
Free France
Soviet Union
United Kingdom
  • Area bombing and firebombing of German cities and towns, based on situational analysis and debatable intentions.(disputed, as opinions vary)
United States
Yugoslav Communist Partisan Forces

Other Controversy

In the Nuremberg trial, German Admiral Karl Dönitz was tried (among other crimes) for issuing orders to engage in Unrestricted submarine warfare. He was found guilty, but the sentence was not assessed (i.e. he got no penalty) because the court discovered evidence that both the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy also issued similar orders.

Post World War II incidents involving Prisoners of War

Norway
United States


See also

External links

Notes

  1. Mithcham, Samuel and Friedrich von Stauffenberg The Battle of Sicily
  2. The official historian of the Canadian Army, C.P. Stacey, noted in his autobiography that it was the only incident he was aware of that could be considered a "war crime" associated with Canadian soldiers in the Second World War. see: Stacey, C.P. A Date With History
  3. Remembering Rape: Divided Social Memory and the Red Army in Hungary 1944–1945, James Mark, Past & Present 188 (2005) 133-161
  4. Excerpt, Chapter one The Struggle for Europe: The Turbulent History of a Divided Continent 1945-2002 - William I. Hitchcock - 2003 - ISBN 0-385-49798-9
  5. Antony Beevor They raped every German female from eight to 80 in The Guardian May 1, 2002
  9. German revisionist historian Jörg Friedrich claims that "Winston Churchill's decision to...bomb Germany between January and May 1945 was a war crime." see: Luke Harding German historian provokes row over war photos in The Guardian, October 21, 2003
  10. Friedrich states that "Civilian deaths were not collateral damage but rather the object of the exercise." Some also dispute that civilians were deliberately targeted, stating that the primary aim was to reduce the industrial capacity of Germany.
  11. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002/11/19/nchurc19.xml]
  12. http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=277121069229925]
  13. http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/review-859-p429/$File/irrc_859_Maier.pdf#search=%22%22J%C3%B6rg%20Friedrich%22%20%22war%20crimes%22%20review%22]
  14. http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1067232,00.html German historian provokes row over war photos]
  15. in Manila Bay,5 November, 1944, aircraft from the USS Lexington participated in the strafing, as survivors bobbed in the waters of Manila Bay. source: Lacroix, Japanese Cruisers, p. 356.
  16. Shimoda et al. v. The State, Tokyo District Court, 7 December 1963
  17. Judgement : Doenitz the Avalon Project at the Yale Law School
  18. U.S. (and French) abuse of German PoWs, 1945-1948
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