Firing during Scapa Flow scuttling
January 2nd, 2009 From
>X-Sender: crivera@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu
>Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 12:36:51 -0500
>To: mahan@microworks.net
>From: rivera.3@osu.edu (Carlos R. Rivera)
>Subject: Re: Firing during Scapa Flow scuttling
>Precendence: bulk
>Sender: mahan-owner@microworks.net
>Reply-To: mahan@microworks.net
>
> >An earlier correspondent’s post was correct that the British fired with
> >machine guns at German lifeboats during the scuttling of the High Seas
> >Fleet at Scapa Flow. They also summarily shot Germans who failed to stop
> >their ships from sinking. German casualties were 9 dead and 16 wounded,
> >all by gunfire.
> >
>So, does the killing of sailors in lifeboats who were not threatening to
>escape from custody qualify this as either a war crime or homicide? Seems
>to me that simply scuttling your vessel and then departing it for dry
>ground is not then or today an internationally recognized justification for
>deadly force.
>
>As to the summary executions, if the victims were prisoners of war weren’t
>they entitled to protection, and if they were not treated as pows what was
>their status?
>
>Cheers,
>
>Carlos R. Rivera