Matthew,
I do understand that young folks today see sniping as something a bit glorious and endearing. My specific comments were related to my father’s generation that fought WWII and his father’s generation that fought WWI. Many of my friend’s fathers were Korean War vets, so I guess it covers that cohort as well, but I cannot say I ever heard that conversation among Korean vets.
To those who were actual combat vets of that era, snipers, the real item, not the chaps banging away during battle, but dedicated snipers were viewed with contempt. If caught they were killed, no quarter given or expected. In the pacific, if they were burning from a flame thrower hit, (a rather horrid death) no effort would be made to shorten that agony, they would not waste the bullet. It was one of the few topics I recall the vets being somewhat strong worded about and they did not speak much about that sort of thing around young chaps such as I.
I recall asking my father about this, most likely around your age or slightly older. He was not a combat vet, (entered too late) but was around those vets that remained in the US Army between WWII and Korea. His comment was that a sniper shot men who could not fight back, at times when they were helpless, like taking a crap or whenever vulnerable. To shoot a man who could not fight back was seen as being not that far from cold blooded murder. As he described it to me, such conduct was seen as lacking in some basic moral underpinning or character on the part of the dedicated sniper. I cannot be more precise, as it was just sort of the atmosphere growing up and I absorbed it as it was.
Now I never heard the same sort of view of the enemy common soldier, at least in the ETO (attitudes were much harsher in the pacific). The enemy draftee, or regular soldier was viewed, at least 20-some years after the war as a fellow pretty much like themselves, at least as regards combat.
By the way among the folks I knew growing were both
German
and American vets, of both WW I and WWII, and these views were shared by both sides. I cannot comment on how the Commonwealth solders saw it, but I would expect it would not be all that different.
None of the above is meant to chide you, just to explain how prior generations viewed the world. You are a young man starting out in the world and are interested in firearms, battle and all that is related to that. Part of that knowledge is learning how the prior generations saw the world. The views of the modern day are in some ways different. As you grow, experience life, loss and garner wisdom you may find that these prior generations worldview to be more refined and civilized than the one we find ourselves in now. Welcome to the forum and I hope you stay on and become part of the next generation of collectors, competitors and shooters.
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Originally Posted by Frederick303
, but on a serious note there are a few wise words to be had from Fred, maybe his first post was a bit staright to the point, as we have all been 14 at sometime on here, some more recent than others !!! at that age I was collecting medals and bayonets and digging up old .303 cases, mortor fins etc on an old training ground, but most of the time I was thinking about Christine Tyson, in fact I still think about her....
