Monday, April 10, 2006
Tearing down the heros
A ruse that helped to win a soldier the Victoria Cross during the Second World War was a "war crime" and New Zealand should apologise to the families of the snipers he killed, it was claimed yesterday.
Alfred Clive Hulme, the father of Denny Hulme, the late world motor racing champion, was awarded the VC for bravery in killing 33 German snipers over eight days during the Battle of Crete in 1941. He returned home a hero to the town of Nelson.
But a new book by two military historians says that, in winning his VC, Sgt Hulme committed "acts of perfidy" under international law.
What are these unforgivable acts of "perfidy" that "should" move New Zealand to apologize to the families of German snipers? Sgt. Hulme "donned a German paratrooper's smock," pretended to be one of them, and shot three of them in cold blood.
The Western academy is so morally confused that it is finding ways to condemn its national heroes 60 years after the fact. Our fetish for legalisms in war is now such that the leading lights of our great universities actually believe New Zealand should apologize for a hero who saved countless Allied soldiers by killing German snipers who themselves were in Crete illegally. So, should the North Vietnamese apologize to the families of the American, Australian, Canadian and French soldiers killed by the Viet Cong? Should Australians apologize to various Afrikaaners, or maybe South Africans in general, for the tactics of the Bushveldt Carbineers. Or is no apology necessary, because the British executed Harry Morant and his comrades? Or perhaps it is South Africa that should apologize to Australian families on behalf of the Boers who wore no uniform, or "donned" British khaki, when they shot and killed colonial soldiers.
Meanwhile, Islamic jihadists, without benefit of uniform, slaughter innocent civilians around the world. No national government has issued an apology, and no Western university professor has even thought to demand one.
CWCID: Lucianne.
9 Comments:
By 
Cardinalpark, at
Mon Apr 10, 05:41:00 PM:
By 
, at
Mon Apr 10, 07:03:00 PM:
Of course, he would have been shot out of hand by the Germans as a spy had he been captured. [and justifyably so] Makes him an even braver man in my book.
By , at
Tue Apr 11, 06:20:00 AM:
A few points: "Islamic jihadists" are, of course, not the armed forces of any sovereign state, so it's difficult to know which sovereign state should be apologising for their actions, or from whom we should be demanding the apology. Any suggestions? (Slaughters of innocent civilians by jihadis have, of course, been condemned by Islamic governments around the world, as you know.)
Second, the rules about wearing uniforms are there for a reason. I would hope you could have the moral sophistication to understand that Sgt Hulme is both a hero and a criminal. What sort of behaviour, if any, by Sgt Hulme would you condemn? Disguising himself as a civilian? Misuse of a flag of surrender? Killing surrendered enemy? Torture? Hostage taking? Or does an act of heroism immunise you against all punishment or criticism?
By TigerHawk, at
Tue Apr 11, 07:26:00 AM:
I would hope you could have the moral sophistication to understand that Sgt Hulme is both a hero and a criminal.
I do. Technically. But in the pantheon of "war criminals" apparently warranting a national apology to the families of enemy soldiers, it is tough to think of a more idiotic example.
In any case, there was a remedy for the sort of "crime" that Hulme committed. Had he been caught, the Germans would have been within their rights to execute him as a spy. The professors in question would, presumably, propose a national apology for spying.
As for sovereign states that might apologize for terrorism, I'm sure my readers will nominate a long list. I'm happy to stick with Iran, which quite specifically arranged for the murder of Marines in Lebanon in 1983 and Air Force at Khobar Towers in 1996, in both cases by ununiformed Hezbollah (with an assist from al Qaeda in the Khobar case).
By Cardinalpark, at
Tue Apr 11, 08:21:00 AM:
Anonymous. You obviously live in an ivory tower where wars are never fought, every social, economic, legal and religious framework is equally just and acceptable and America is at best, the mere equal nation state rot of any other.
Hulme was, like every other soldier, ever - in the history of humankind - caught up in the struggle to survive and win. He and his mates were in an epic live or die battle, and his actions were heroic.
If it was my father, or my son, or me, in those circumstances, I would eagerly violate many other of you academic and foolish "norms" as well.
Fool.
By , at
Tue Apr 11, 08:24:00 AM:
I recall that after WWII Otto Skorzeny (Spelling) was on trial for war crimes specifically wearing allied uniforms. A british agent codenamed White Rabbit (I forget his real name) testified on his behalf that he and his men routinely used German uniforms. Skorzeny got off.
By , at
Tue Apr 11, 10:39:00 AM:
As stated in ab earlier post, that he was in breach of the Geneva Conventions (If that clause was listed at the time) is not the issue. The issue should be what he did. He fought the enemy. He did not kill non combatents. He would have faced a severe penalty if he had been caught by the Germans.
By , at
Tue Apr 11, 12:28:00 PM:
I'm sure my readers will nominate a long list. I'm happy to stick with Iran,
You are seriously suggesting that Iran should apologise for the actions of jihadis? You think Iran is responsible for al-Qaeda? Oh boy.
In any case, there was a remedy for the sort of "crime" that Hulme committed. Had he been caught, the Germans would have been within their rights to execute him as a spy.
So, it was all right for him to do it because he would have been punished if he was caught? This is very confused reasoning.
You obviously live in an ivory tower where wars are never fought, every social, economic, legal and religious framework is equally just and acceptable and America is at best, the mere equal nation state rot of any other.
Army, actually. But you were close!
By , at
Tue Apr 11, 12:53:00 PM:
Annonymous;
The real question is what would you do in his circumstances.
"During the Crete campaign of 20–31 May 1941, Hulme performed a number of acts of gallantry. At Maleme airfield he led a series of counter-attacks against pockets of German paratroops, and later led his men with distinction during the counter-attack at Galatos. Afterwards, he heard that his brother, Corporal H. C. Hulme, had been killed. He then waited behind his withdrawing unit and shot pursuing Germans in revenge. He was most renowned, however, for his work stalking snipers, which he volunteered for and carried out with coolness and determination. His courage, which amounted to recklessness, amazed his fellow soldiers. When his unit came under heavy sniper and mortar fire during the final withdrawal from Stylos on 28 May, Hulme infiltrated enemy lines and stalked and shot their snipers from the rear. In all he killed 33 snipers, before himself being seriously wounded. For his ‘outstanding and inspiring qualities of leadership, initiative, skill, endurance and most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty’, he was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross." Taken from the NZ Encyclopedia.
