"Other" War Crimes -- Reprisals

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 12 Jan 2003 08:11

During the course of WWII, German military units were engaged in partisan or guerrilla warfare. In an effort to maintain order, German army units engaged in "atonement actions" or reprisals. This became German military policy, as the attached documents (from Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression, vol. 8, pp. 572-82) show.

After WWII, allied military tribunals and the Italian government put German military officers on trial for war crimes arising out of the OKW reprisal policy. Many of these officers were convicted and imprisoned or executed.

Is there anyone who thinks that reprisals, along the lines detailed in the attached orders, should not have been considered a war crime?

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 12 Jan 2003 08:14

Part 2:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 12 Jan 2003 08:16

Part 3:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 12 Jan 2003 08:17

The end:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 16 Jan 2003 18:37

Some more information on this subject, from "Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression," vol. 3, pp. 597-99:

David Thompson · Post by **David Thompson** » 16 Jan 2003 22:18

Another document, from "Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression" vol. 3, pp. 819-20: