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Stands Among The World's Most Stands Among The ... - Index of

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speedily restored to their anxious families and to their normal peacetime occupations'<br />

Pope Pius X11, Christmas Eve allocution, 1945<br />

THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS ROUNDLY CONDEMNED THE SYSTEM OF USING<br />

PRISONERS-OF-WAR AS SLAVES<br />

"<strong>The</strong> United States, Britain and France, nearly a year after peace is violating international Red Cross<br />

agreements they solemnly signed in 1929."<br />

<strong>The</strong> Report went on to roundly condemn the transport and use <strong>of</strong> slaves; their being used in clearing<br />

mine-fields, sweeping sea mines, destroying surplus ammunition and razing shattered buildings which<br />

contravenes International Red Cross Agreements and the terms <strong>of</strong> the Geneva Convention.<br />

An International Red Cross <strong>of</strong>ficial stated: "<strong>The</strong> bartering <strong>of</strong> captured enemy soldiers by the victors<br />

throws the world back to the Dark Ages... when feudal barons raided adjoining duchies to replenish<br />

their human livestock." - Henry Wales, Geneva, April 13th 1946<br />

"It is an iniquitous system and an evil precedent because it is wide open to abuses with difficulty in<br />

establishing responsibility. German soldiers are not common law convicts - they were drafted to fight<br />

in a national army on patriotic grounds and could not refuse military service any more than Americans<br />

could. It is manifestly unjust to buy and sell them for political reasons as the American Negroes were<br />

a century ago." - Henry Wales, Geneva, April 13th 1946 Chicago Tribune Press<br />

GERMANY'S PRISONERS-OF-WAR<br />

In sharp contrast with the allied treatment <strong>of</strong> German captives was the far better treatment received by<br />

allied prisoners-<strong>of</strong>-war when in German hands: "<strong>The</strong> most amazing thing about the atrocities in this<br />

war is that there have been so few <strong>of</strong> them. I have come up against few instances where the Germans<br />

have not treated prisoners according to the rules, and have respected the Red Cross."<br />

Alan Wood, War Front Correspondent, Daily Express, February 4th 1945<br />

"<strong>The</strong> Germans even in their greatest moments <strong>of</strong> despair obeyed the Convention in most respects.<br />

True it is that there were front-line atrocities - passions run high up there - but they were incidents, not<br />

practices; and maladministration <strong>of</strong> their American prison camps was very uncommon."<br />

Lieutenant Newton L. Marguiles; Assistant Judge Advocate <strong>of</strong> Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, April<br />

27th 1945<br />

"My service during World War 11 was in command <strong>of</strong> an armored division throughout the European<br />

campaign, from Normandy to Saxony.... my division lost quite a number <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficers and men captured<br />

between July 1944 and April 1945. In no instance did I hear <strong>of</strong> personnel from our division receiving<br />

treatment other than proper under the 'Rules <strong>of</strong> Land Warfare.' As far as the 6th Armored Division<br />

was concerned in its 280 days in front line contact, there was no atrocity problem. Frankly, I was<br />

aghast, as were many <strong>of</strong> my contemporaries, when we learned <strong>of</strong> the proposed 'war crimes trials and<br />

the fact that military commanders were among the accused. I firmly believe that the 'war crimes<br />

trials' were ill conceived, vindictively executed, and served only to lower the dignity and prestige <strong>of</strong><br />

America. I know <strong>of</strong> no general <strong>of</strong>ficer who approved <strong>of</strong> them."<br />

167

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