The Execution of Private Slovik

[GIKyle]

Hunt- I think you are right regarding the execution in President Roosevelt was to intervene, and thats not a knock on Roosevelt. That civilian/ political perspective might have been good in this case. For his part, Cora later said the execution was one of the things he regretted.

[Simon Lerenfort]

 

I would have to agree, it seemed many of the men were not sympathetic to Slovik at all. Although some were mentioned to have been obviously distraught throughout the whole ordeal. I think they didn't really know much about Slovik though besides that he was a deserter and had a criminal record. In the end though they all ended up shooting to kill.

 

Hunt

 

Not quite shooting to kill, as none of the rounds fired hit Sloviks heart, the target if they intended to kill him outright.

 

I have an old copy of the book in my collection, I recall finding Slovik a rather pathetic figure, hardly literate, a simple soul who had wanted only a simple life. His being drafted to fill in the losses suffered by the US was a product of the times he lived in. But his life and death can still raise the same arguments for and against his fate, to many at that time who had also fought through France and more recently through the horrors of the Hürtgen forest they no doubt looked upon him with some scorn. But I am certain there were others who thought, there but for the grace of God go I.

 

His written confession made no bones about his fear, a very true human emotion. Sadly he did not get the ticket home he naively thought he might get.

[patches]

Aah they just shunted him off quickly and quietly to an Construction Engineer Regiment, and massively gigged his jacket.

[Bodes]

 

Don't know. If only there was some interviews or statistics out there that mentioned Slovik when it came to that topic. Maybe some other members can comment on this.

Hunt

Slovik was shot with a little over three months of fighting left in the ETO, so w/o statitics seems a somewhat futile gesture by the government and military.....As already stated, desertion was less prevalent in the PTO......Bodes

[Bodes]

Slovik was shot with a little over three months of fighting left in the ETO, so w/o statitics seems a somewhat futile gesture by the government and military.....As already stated, desertion was less prevalent in the PTO......Bodes

To further add, following the battle of the bulge, Germany lost their last offensive initiative on both fronts.....Perhaps a court martial, along with some time of hard labor would have sufficed.....After all, it would have been another strike added to his record......Bodes

[Bluehawk]

Exactly...

 

 

I have an old copy of the book in my collection, I recall finding Slovik a rather pathetic figure, hardly literate, a simple soul who had wanted only a simple life. His being drafted to fill in the losses suffered by the US was a product of the times he lived in. But his life and death can still raise the same arguments for and against his fate, to many at that time who had also fought through France and more recently through the horrors of the Hürtgen forest they no doubt looked upon him with some scorn. But I am certain there were others who thought, there but for the grace of God go I.

 

His written confession made no bones about his fear, a very true human emotion. Sadly he did not get the ticket home he naively thought he might get.

 

[patches]

To further add, following the battle of the bulge, Germany lost their last offensive initiative on both fronts.....Perhaps a court martial, along with some time of hard labor would have sufficed.....After all, it would have been another strike added to his record......Bodes

While the higher ups really didn't know when the war in Europe would be over in January 1945, I think...they just treated him as an insignificant little person, a peon these officers, the more I think about it the less sense it makes. Sure he was a coward, and maybe it's good he wasn't up front, maybe he would of gotten a few guys killed, a whole position lost or compromised etc etc and that would be bad.

 

Again, some like to bring up that note he wrote, but was it splashed on the front pages or even 3rd pages of dailies back home in the states, did Slovik mimeograph copies and paste them to trees all over Belgium and Luxembourg? did anyone really know about it save for a handful of individuals! That's one of the thrusts as to why they did this, but if few knew about it you know, sure Slovik went overboard in doing that, but I'm imaging he's clearly the only one who thought to do this,

 

The others awaited courts marshal!, I would imagine a lot of those where real POSs, vicious crooks, incredible low lives, violent etc etc, we all knew a few when we all served right LOL

[themick]

Was even reported, no right,, except for the witnesses, who no doubt told more people, but there seems not that many right, I mean did it make out to the PI or Okinawa in the rumor mill, India??, Slovik's buddy Tankey, he never knew of it for years right, and that letter he wrote, no one knew about that either, just the immediate officers involved right oh and and the cook he showed it to, he probably told some buddys about the letter, and they told a few buddys about the letter and so on and on, but it's not like it was printed in YANK or Stars & Stripes

 

 

Are you drunk?? Your first sentence makes absolutely no sense.

 

Steve

[BILL THE PATCH]

 

 

Are you drunk??  Your first sentence makes absolutely no sense.  

 

Steve

Why?, I understand it.

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

 

[Bodes]

While the higher ups really didn't know when the war in Europe would be over in January 1945, I think...they just treated him as an insignificant little person, a peon these officers, the more I think about it the less sense it makes. Sure he was a coward, and maybe it's good he wasn't up front, maybe he would of gotten a few guys killed, a whole position lost or compromised etc etc and that would be bad.

 

Not the exact day or hour perhaps, but by the end of Jan. '45, Soviet forces were within 88km of Berlin....The western allies couldn't help but notice the Russians steamrolling from Kursk, Russia to the outskirts of Germany's capital in six months.....I think it's safe to say, they knew the war in Europe was coming to a hasty conclusion....In fact, in early February '45 the eastern/western allies met at Yalta to discuss what to do with postwar Germany......Bodes

 

 

 

[tarheel1]

A wise old, highly decorated, Army Officer once told me..."No one can judge another combat veteran better than another combat veteran". Considering the fact that the Generals who made the final decision were experienced combat leaders, I am sure they made the decision they felt was right (and justifiable) at the time.

 

TH1

[patches]

 

 

Are you drunk?? Your first sentence makes absolutely no sense.

 

Steve

I was going on what Huie said in his book, during a interview with a pentagon representative he said at on point "The United States didn't shoot him as punishment: that isn't the first purposes of military justice. His execution was staged for a hoped for deterrent, but doesn't secrecy limit deterrent value?" That's what I was alluding to, that really very knew about this. That would include both he written declaration and his execution. Word got around without a doubt, still not many knew about, certainly the American public didn't, in fact that's why Huie started his project back then in 1953, he had to fight to get the whole thing de classified, the Army classified it in 45.

[patches]

While the higher ups really didn't know when the war in Europe would be over in January 1945, I think...they just treated him as an insignificant little person, a peon these officers, the more I think about it the less sense it makes. Sure he was a coward, and maybe it's good he wasn't up front, maybe he would of gotten a few guys killed, a whole position lost or compromised etc etc and that would be bad.

 

Not the exact day or hour perhaps, but by the end of Jan. '45, Soviet forces were within 88km of Berlin....The western allies couldn't help but notice the Russians steamrolling from Kursk, Russia to the outskirts of Germany's capital in six months.....I think it's safe to say, they knew the war in Europe was coming to a hasty conclusion....In fact, in early February '45 the eastern/western allies met at Yalta to discuss what to do with postwar Germany......Bodes

 

 

 

True Bodes I guess too they might of considered the war against Japan, as we found out a few ETO units where to be sent out there, including the 1st Army.

[patches]

 

 

Are you drunk?? Your first sentence makes absolutely no sense.

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

I Think he's Stoned Man

[patches]

 

 

Are you drunk?? Your first sentence makes absolutely no sense.

 

Steve

Must be the heat mick, I see I'm making a lot of Typos