I'm all in favor of the idea that soldiers should be gentlemen. And gentlewomen. But it's not a Get Out of Jail Free card for responsibility--in fact, the more of a gentleperson you are, the more it is incumbent upon you to accept responsibility for the consequences of your actions and decisions. (This, of course, is why Peter Wimsey had his breakdown in WWI, and while he's a fictional character, that's still pointing at something important.)
I object to the idea of the "gentleman professional soldier" as a special category that gets to play by special rules, such that the German generals will be believed and sympathized with when disclaiming all responsibility for the Third Reich.
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momijizukamori
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Date: 2010-02-12 08:52 pm (UTC)I object to the idea of the "gentleman professional soldier" as a special category that gets to play by special rules, such that the German generals will be believed and sympathized with when disclaiming all responsibility for the Third Reich.