Why you Must NOT Shoot Medics in War

TL;DR

War crimes against medics, targeting non-combatants, are a violation of international law and have been committed throughout history.

Transcript

war crimes against Medics as a way to alleviate some of the horrors of combat social convention and international law make some individuals on the battlefield off limits to deliberate targeting very often however In the Heat of battle these conventions are ignored and those who should be off limits are intentionally targeted rules and customs of Wa... Read More

Key Insights

• 😷 Social conventions and international treaties have traditionally protected medics as non-combatants on the battlefield.
• 🫱 Violations of these conventions have occurred throughout history, in conflicts such as the American Revolution, World War II, and the Pacific Theater of the war.
• 🫡 Despite formalized restrictions on targeting, the non-combatant status of medics has not always been respected, leading to war crimes and brutality in combat.
• 🤩 Sharpshooters played a key role in deliberately targeting officers during specific battles, providing strategic advantages for the opposing side.
• 📏 The Geneva Convention and other treaties govern the conduct of soldiers on the battlefield and define rules for the treatment of medics and non-combatants.
• 😷 Some nations, like the Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan, did not fully abide by these conventions, leading to mistreatment of medics and prisoners.
• ⚕️ Medics were often marked with special symbols, such as the red cross, but these symbols provided little protection in certain theaters of war.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did American sharpshooters target British officers during the Battle of Saratoga?

American sharpshooters, under the command of Daniel Morgan, deliberately targeted British officers like General Simon Fraser, disrupting the British advance and contributing to the Continental Army's victory.

Q: What is the importance of international treaties like the Geneva Convention?

International treaties, such as the Geneva Convention, prohibit the deliberate targeting of medics and establish rules for the treatment of non-combatants during warfare. Violations of these treaties are considered war crimes.

Q: Were medics targeted during World War II?

Yes, there were instances of medics being targeted on both sides of the conflict during World War II. Some SS units intentionally wounded enemy soldiers to target medics, while Allied soldiers also fired on German medical personnel in clear violations of the conventions.

Q: Why were medics targeted in the Pacific Theater of the war?

The Japanese leadership did not ratify the Geneva Convention and believed that upholding it would discourage the United States from bombing Japanese cities. The targeting of medics in the Pacific Theater aimed to break down American morale and remove immediate aid for wounded soldiers.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Medics have been historically considered off-limits during warfare, but in the heat of battle, these conventions are often ignored.

• American sharpshooters targeted British officers, including General Simon Fraser, during the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, giving the Continental Army a decisive advantage.

• International treaties such as the Geneva Convention prohibit the deliberate targeting of medics, but violations occurred during World War II on both sides.