ThomasP
Senior Master Sergeant
Hey PAT303,
I would say that it is not any different, and that the deliberate targeting of civilians (regardless of whether by the Germans, US, UK, Russia, Japan, etc) is also poor form, and should be considered a war crime. It is considered a war crime today, regardless of whether you are a signatory to the Geneva Convention or not. But in WWII it was not illegal for a country to, say bomb civilians from 20-30,000 ft, if they had not signed the clauses in the Geneva Convention that prohibited such a thing. Mind you, Germany had (I think) signed those clauses.
Interestingly, the US and UK were (I think) the only 2 major WWII combatants that did not sign the post-WWI clause prohibiting bombing of cities(civilians) from the air (although in the late-1930s, Japan who had originally signed, unsigned some clauses concerning targeting civilians - this was also considered legal at the time). This was for the UK, I think, an aspect of a view toward the potential "Terror Bombing" campaign planned against Germany in event of war, from before the war started. Incidentally, the US was on board with bombing German and Japanese cities(civilians) before they entered the war. Fire bombing of Japanese cities had been a part of War Plan Orange since ~1933, and a part of the strategy against the Germans since the talks with the UK in 1940.
The US also did not sign the clause prohibiting unrestricted submarine warfare, hence the immediate order for said against the Japanese.
I would say that it is not any different, and that the deliberate targeting of civilians (regardless of whether by the Germans, US, UK, Russia, Japan, etc) is also poor form, and should be considered a war crime. It is considered a war crime today, regardless of whether you are a signatory to the Geneva Convention or not. But in WWII it was not illegal for a country to, say bomb civilians from 20-30,000 ft, if they had not signed the clauses in the Geneva Convention that prohibited such a thing. Mind you, Germany had (I think) signed those clauses.
Interestingly, the US and UK were (I think) the only 2 major WWII combatants that did not sign the post-WWI clause prohibiting bombing of cities(civilians) from the air (although in the late-1930s, Japan who had originally signed, unsigned some clauses concerning targeting civilians - this was also considered legal at the time). This was for the UK, I think, an aspect of a view toward the potential "Terror Bombing" campaign planned against Germany in event of war, from before the war started. Incidentally, the US was on board with bombing German and Japanese cities(civilians) before they entered the war. Fire bombing of Japanese cities had been a part of War Plan Orange since ~1933, and a part of the strategy against the Germans since the talks with the UK in 1940.
The US also did not sign the clause prohibiting unrestricted submarine warfare, hence the immediate order for said against the Japanese.
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