In fact there are a series of 3 books on the subject, see: Bokförlaget Air Historic Research on the right column the 3 uppermost.
Juha
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...Don't know if you speak Swedish, but there's also a book called "Noedlandning" which chronicles both Allied and Axis aircraft which came down in Sweden.
Joseph Heller (CATCH 22) couldn't have been the only guy in WWII to think about it. Along the same lines does anybody know how many Allied soldiers/Sailors/Airmen went over to the Axis - and were any of them held accountable
[If, as an American, you hold the Constitution dear (you folks of the Commonwealth and the Empire and others are not so inclined)
I must ask you what exactly you mean by this?
I am of the opinion that:
1. We do not embark offshore without total commitment and NATIONAL resolve that a crisis threatening our Constitutional Republic's existence is upon us.
2. That every Citizen 18-45 be integrated in some form of 'milita' Reserve whether as a medic, a rifleman, a clerk typist, engineer and that such Voluntary service, as a civilian operating within a Reserve infrastructure for contingency military training, is a requisite to have voting rights and eligibility to serve in elected leadership capacity. Such Voluntary service in Governmental supervised activities as Peace Corps also qualifies for those CO's as exist. This 'militia' would report to the Governors of the States and service in this reserve expires after two years, unless and until called to active duty in the National Emergency, whereupon the 'militia' would be subordinate to the CIC and integrated into US Military command structure..
3. That the Commander in Chief NEVER be permitted to deploy troops to another country without explicit majority vote of approval of Congress within 30 days of notice from CiC that such deployment is necessary and argue personally in the Well of Congress for such deployment. Further, that such deployment as granted, may not continue unless War is declared.
4. That our DoD leadership be subject to anonymous 360 degree performance review by our troops, such survey to be conducted by an outside civilian agency reporting to the President and presented to Congress annually prior to selection and approval of all General officers presented by military promotions board..
If, as an American, you hold the Constitution dear (you folks of the Commonwealth and the Empire and others are not so inclined) then you must recognize that all able bodied 'men' between the ages of 18 and 45 are 'militia' in a time of crisis, obligated to be armed and ready to be incorporated into regulated units - the foundation of the legal draft.
Depending on the circumstances any country would be forced to consider conscription, it ended in Britain about 1960 but I think the French, German's and Italians still have it and I know that the Greeks still do. I think the German's may use their conscripts more on social projects than training for war. Like somebody said earlier things have changed and it wouldn't be possible to drag millions of kids off the street and train them up like in past wars, no country could afford all the high tech weapons used today for a start. There seems to be a tradition of making the mistake of assuming that each war is going to be fought the same as the last, the truth is nobody knows what it will be like or even who it will be against. So many big companies have their money spread all other the world as well these days instead of just in their own countries like before, so war would be bad for business.
Mostly I agree DG with you main post, but i have to rise and make a couple of observations.
The British dont have a written constitution, but they have a very strong unwritten constitution that is every bit as powerful as the American Constitution, and as enforceable and defensible.And British are fierce in their defence of it. The difference that the English Constitution is firmly embedded in English Common Law....things like the right to a fair trial, the freedom of religion, the right of free men to vote, are not written down (or werent) but are as strongly defencible as anything in the US Consitution. The reason your founding fathers found it necessary to make a declaration, and then codify it, was because they wanted to preserve those inane human rights, and when they declared independance they placed those rights at risk. The Bill of Rights and the American Constitution is an affirmation of the continuation of English laws and freedoms.
Parsifal, you are right in your clarification of the comparative beliefs. Having said this one should step back when discussing my remarks and consider a.) that I was Only discussing my viewpoints regarding our Constitution and b.) what that should mean relative to our individual citizen's role relative to defense of same.
We do hold to those principals as strongly as any American, and in fact, moreso......
For Australia, we also made established our unification, unlike the Americans our Federation was done peacefully. But because we were still establishing our own self rule, and because we still wanted to preserve our British legal and liberty traditions, we also needed to write a constitution. Our constitution is admittedly more about preserving the rights of the states, and the relationships with the Feds,but it also includes declarations about human freedoms and inalienable rights.
Our Constitution and the role of the Federal Government was written so that it was clear that the Government was subordinate to the People and had limited powers over same - and in fact raised the States above the Federal Government in all matters except the National Defense, coining money, and creating laws to manage same and ensure that the laws were common and uniform across all the States to protect individual rights. The War of Northern Aggression in 1861 reduced the power of the States and improved the protections of the Bill of Rights for all citizens. After that however, only the Amendment to ensure woman's Voting Rights increased the Rights of the People and the incredible onslaught of laws emerging from Congress have served to reduce Rights and Freedoms while enhancing Federal Powers over same.
Because we won our rights to freedom by peaceful means, we dont hold our constitution as religiously as Americans. But we do hold to our rights and responsiblities to the and from the nation even more strongly than you guys. i say that from my year of exposure to US servicemen and civilians.
Don't agree entirely. My view of the Constitution is that it limits government. Thus, except during times of extreme threat, years of involuntary servitude by citizens is not a citizen "duty". Perhaps it's time to revisit Truman's stand down. The professional military then would be deployed only in circumstances of dire threat. And, if necessary, the militia could be called up. If Europe is an example, there would be few call ups and limited deployments.