The French forced German POWs to clear minefields after WWII, killing thousands

[FLG]

As with many of Booties excellent posts the ethical dilemma in this story is hard to reconcile. It is hard to feel sorry for the German soldiers, why should French engineers die clearing huge mine fields laid by an aggressive invader.

Saying that, the Geneva Conventions were agreed upon and instituted to help maintain civilized and suitable ethical behavior during a conflict. If we can choose which ones to ignore as we see fit how can we claim to be any better than the Nazis that were vanquished.

These ethical dilemmas persist today. With the re-introductions of torture of prisoners and the rendition flights America, and to a certain extent the UK, have foregone the moral high ground from which they could gain leverage to try to moderate the excesses of the more extreme states.