[Kryten]

there is no doubt that all sides commited these acts, I am seriously dubious it was sanctioned by higher authorities, simply as they would not want any repurcussions heading thier way, but before anyone gets a little too sanctimonious over it I would ask a simple question-

whats the difference in shooting at a baled out pilot and a tank crew evacuating a burning tank?

to even remotely judge these actions you have to try and understand the mindset of the time, total war dehumanises an enemy, that was'nt a son or brother or father they were killing it was an enemy, if you were an allied serviceman it was a nazi, a member of the armed forces of the nation that plunged europe into the war and caused the millions of deaths that it led to, if you were a german it was an invader who would destroy your home and bring destruction to your nation!

I read an account of a pilot who stated quite honestly that the transport targets he shot up could rarely be verified as genuine military targets, but as he had seen the aftermath of Luftwaffe strafing and bombing attacks on UK south coast towns and the civillian casualties that were in his opinion deliberatly caused, he simply didnt care, "they were getting a taste of thier own medicine"

sentiments echoed by many bomber crews who flattened german cities!

its best not to kid ourselves that air warfare is somehow more chavalrous than ground combat, because its rubbish, there was a LOT of hate back then!