Dutch landing in Indonesia film

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Dave Page

I bear no ill will toward those that served, if they did so honourably, and even then it is all in the past, it is done. There are lessons to be learned by all, let's hope we can remember those lessons. Every serviceman or woman has a tale to tell, listen to them, you don't have to like it nor agree with their actions we should not sit back and judge them - that would smack of arrogance.

Dave,

You are very right in the sense that people should realise Von Clausewitz's famous quote: "War is a mere continuation of politics by other means".

So if with the benefit of hindsight someone establishes that a certain war was wrong, then we should not blame the soldiers who were there carrying out their job. Very often, if not always, they do not have a choice. Their government chose to send them and ordered them to fight a war. Disobeying such an order is an offence for which a soldier will be punished.

I know a few soldiers, some of them fought in a "wrong" war, but I never hold it against them for the simple fact that they did not choose to do so, they were ordered to do so. And as long as they adhere to the rules of war, they as a person have not done wrong. Their leader might have, though.

Sometimes a tough subject, I think.

Hanno