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Jeneral2885

(1,354 posts) Wed Jun 4, 2014, 01:10 PM Jun 2014

War time deserters: Eisenhower ordered one to be executed

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2014/06/04/war-zone-deserter-if-so-bowe-bergdahl-joins-a-fascinating-and-bizarre-club/

One of the most famous deserters is Pvt. Eddie Slovik, who ran from combat duty in France in 1944 while deployed with the Army’s 28th Infantry Division. He acknowledged deserting in a written confession in October of that year — something that ultimately sealed his fate.
Slovik was shot by a 12-man firing squad after Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, later president of the United States, refused his appeal for leniency and made an example of him. He is still the last U.S. service member to be executed for deserting,

15 replies

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War time deserters: Eisenhower ordered one to be executed (Original Post) Jeneral2885 Jun 2014 OP

TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE randys1 Jun 2014 #1

From what I understand, Slovik was given several opportunities to rejoin his unit... brooklynite Jun 2014 #3

Yes, in a 1974 made-for-TV movie that I recall watching at the time... PoliticAverse Jun 2014 #7

My mother and I watched back then and sobbed through much of it. Horrible decision. nt Mnemosyne Jun 2014 #9

Saw pipi_k Jun 2014 #12

BTW, there was a recently released movie about 1916 objectors in New Zealand PoliticAverse Jun 2014 #13

And Eisenhower should have never done that lostincalifornia Jun 2014 #2

I suppose many people believe that refusing to kill should result in execution. LanternWaste Jun 2014 #4

There's a story from WWII about a conscientious objector who was jailed for Aristus Jun 2014 #5

At that time America was in a DECLARED War Bandit Jun 2014 #6

Vietnam Jeneral2885 Jun 2014 #10

Korea wasn't either. Last declaration of war was in mid-1942. Angleae Jun 2014 #15

Slovik never should have been executed. Description of the case and numbers then: WinkyDink Jun 2014 #8

"despite their skill, the 11 marksmen were unable to kill Slovik instantly" GusBob Jun 2014 #11

One of the most moving anti-war movies ever. Brilliant scene. WinkyDink Jun 2014 #14

randys1

(16,286 posts)

1. TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE

Reply to Jeneral2885 (Original post)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 01:16 PM

Jun 2014

Didnt Martin Sheen play him in a movie?

That was a TERRIBLE thing to do, we should NEVER do it again...

brooklynite

(94,520 posts)

3. From what I understand, Slovik was given several opportunities to rejoin his unit...

Reply to randys1 (Reply #1)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 01:42 PM

Jun 2014

...and refused on the apparent belief that, because nobody else had been executed, he wouldn't either. A risky presumption when you're in a war setting and you know the potential risk.

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

7. Yes, in a 1974 made-for-TV movie that I recall watching at the time...

Reply to randys1 (Reply #1)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 02:28 PM

Jun 2014

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071477/

Mnemosyne

(21,363 posts)

9. My mother and I watched back then and sobbed through much of it. Horrible decision. nt

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #7)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 03:08 PM

Jun 2014

pipi_k

(21,020 posts)

12. Saw

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #7)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 03:17 PM

Jun 2014

it when it first came out.

Heartbreakingly tragic.

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

13. BTW, there was a recently released movie about 1916 objectors in New Zealand

Reply to randys1 (Reply #1)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 05:34 PM

Jun 2014

titled _Field Punishment No.1_ depicting what was done to them.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3124186/

Trailer:

lostincalifornia

(3,639 posts)

2. And Eisenhower should have never done that

Reply to Jeneral2885 (Original post)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 01:28 PM

Jun 2014

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)

4. I suppose many people believe that refusing to kill should result in execution.

Reply to Jeneral2885 (Original post)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 01:44 PM

Jun 2014

I suppose many people believe that refusing to kill should result in execution.

Aristus

(66,328 posts)

5. There's a story from WWII about a conscientious objector who was jailed for

Reply to LanternWaste (Reply #4)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 01:46 PM

Jun 2014

refusing to serve after being drafted. He was put in a cell with a famous mobster who asked his new cellie what he was in for. When told, the mobster replied: "You mean, they put you in here for not killing people?!?"

Bandit

(21,475 posts)

6. At that time America was in a DECLARED War

Reply to Jeneral2885 (Original post)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 01:57 PM

Jun 2014

We have not been so since....Hell Bush* deserted during the Vietnam conflict even if he was here in the USA at the time...I am aware of many people that have deserted while America was invloved in some sort of conflict, should they all be executed?

Jeneral2885

(1,354 posts)

10. Vietnam

Reply to Bandit (Reply #6)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 03:12 PM

Jun 2014

was not authorised by Congress officially. Not sure about Korea.

Angleae

(4,482 posts)

15. Korea wasn't either. Last declaration of war was in mid-1942.

Reply to Jeneral2885 (Reply #10)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 10:53 PM

Jun 2014

Against Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania.

WinkyDink

(51,311 posts)

8. Slovik never should have been executed. Description of the case and numbers then:

Reply to Jeneral2885 (Original post)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 02:42 PM

Jun 2014

http://www.executedtoday.com/2009/01/31/1945-private-eddie-slovik-desertion/

GusBob

(7,286 posts)

11. "despite their skill, the 11 marksmen were unable to kill Slovik instantly"

Reply to WinkyDink (Reply #8)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 03:16 PM

Jun 2014

footnote in the link. sad.

Reminds me of the execution scene in the movie "Breaker Morant" where the condemned fella hollers to his executioners

"shoot straight you bastards don't make a bloody mess of it"

WinkyDink

(51,311 posts)

14. One of the most moving anti-war movies ever. Brilliant scene.

Reply to GusBob (Reply #11)

Wed Jun 4, 2014, 05:43 PM

Jun 2014

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