Iraqi Victims of White Phosphorus

[wickedlara]

Originally Posted by philovan

You are correct regarding the difference between the way the Germans and Japanese treated POW's. If you were going to be a POW it was far better to be a prisoner of the Germans, as they at least made an attempt to abide by most portions of the Geneva Convention. Late in the war when they were running short of food and supplies for their own troops POW's were severely short changed - no surprise there. However, they did use mustard gas in combat in WW1. The allies then retaliated in kind. This last fact is not often mentioned in the standard histories.

The gas after WWI was forbidden by a deal made in the Geneva Protocol.

[philovan]

Originally Posted by wickedlara

The gas after WWI was forbidden by a deal made in the Geneva Protocol.

You are right again. Nevertheless the signees didn't ban the stockpiling of the stuff, only the use. Now what conclusion do you draw from that? I draw the following: Their reasoning was: "We'll sign this agreement since it looks good - humane and all that - but if push comes to shove and we are losing in the next war all bets are off."

[wickedlara]

Originally Posted by philovan

You are right again. Nevertheless the signees didn't ban the stockpiling of the stuff, only the use. Now what conclusion do you draw from that? I draw the following: Their reasoning was: "We'll sign this agreement since it looks good - humane and all that - but if push comes to shove and we are losing in the next war all bets are off."

I think you are right, better to cheat than be annihilated.

[Thewraith420]

Willy petes