Nuremberg and Vietnam: Who Is Guilty? - PT11
Nuremberg and Vietnam: Who Is Guilty? - PT11
PBS PRESENTS A SPECIAL REPORT: NUREMBERG AND VIETNAM. WHO IS GUILTY? - PT11 A mock trial comparing the standard for "laws of war" set by the outcome of the Nuremberg Trials to US military actions in Vietnam. Was the United States in violation of international laws of war? This section features Marine Private Michael A. Schwarz speaking as a Vietnam veteran, detailing his experience & expressing his opinions on US operations during the war (At the time of filming Michael was on appeal for a murder conviction related to civilian massacre at Son Thang.)
Nuremberg and Vietnam: Who Is Guilty? - PT11
Robert MacNeil in studio introducing Marine Private Michael Schwarz.
Nuremberg and Vietnam: Who Is Guilty? - PT11
DO NOT USE: Photo of Marine Private Michael Schwarz.
Nuremberg and Vietnam: Who Is Guilty? - PT11
First question: "Can you tell us what you were told in your training on how you should treat civilians?" Schwarz's response: "We were told that, treat them with respect". He goes on to say that training included films, lectures, classes. Next Question: "When you got to Vietnam,...did you understand that it was your duty to protect the lives of civilians?" Schwarz's response: "Yes we did, we understood that we would go in, do as best we could for the people and if they had to be moved, move them. Other than that there was no order." MacNeil asks: "On that day,...what orders had you received that day?" Schwarz's response: "We received none that day, it was just standard SOP orders." He goes on to talk about "killer teams" & "free fire zones", they thought that there were no civilians, that they had been moved out. MacNeil asks: "So those people you saw, as far as you were concerned, were not civilians?" Schwarz's response: he thought that they were VC sympathizers, meaning the enemy.