General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
Re: not wanting to stir the waters but
Posted by:
John Griffiths
()
Date: January 22, 2002 06:04PM
<HTML>Kurt - and, no doubt, others.
When you are being shot at - be that from an enemy warship, an aircraft or any other form of offensive weaponry - then all of a sudden it is you they're shooting at. Not your ship or your mates - you.
Psychologically, that fear manifests itself into a response and that response takes over. You couldn't care about the sensibilities involved, about the niceties of things like the Geneva Convention - you just want to shoot that person before they shoot you. The term itchy fingers springs to mind.
In the case of the Wahoo, if I had been manning a gun post and someone shot at me, I think I'd likely be itching to shoot back. In the case of disciplined crews that order comes from the bridge - and if one of the officers sounds fire, you fire.
In war nothing is fair. It is still, essentially, shoot first and ask questions later.
Aye,
John</HTML>
When you are being shot at - be that from an enemy warship, an aircraft or any other form of offensive weaponry - then all of a sudden it is you they're shooting at. Not your ship or your mates - you.
Psychologically, that fear manifests itself into a response and that response takes over. You couldn't care about the sensibilities involved, about the niceties of things like the Geneva Convention - you just want to shoot that person before they shoot you. The term itchy fingers springs to mind.
In the case of the Wahoo, if I had been manning a gun post and someone shot at me, I think I'd likely be itching to shoot back. In the case of disciplined crews that order comes from the bridge - and if one of the officers sounds fire, you fire.
In war nothing is fair. It is still, essentially, shoot first and ask questions later.
Aye,
John</HTML>
