Take Note

Go here. Scroll down to pic 13.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/05/vietnam_35_years_later.html

I want you to take note that the soldier on the right is holding a hand gun by the barrel. His handgun is in its holster. The soldier on the left is holding an AK, not an issue item for the ARVN. Notice also that the prisoner is not wearing a uniform. These firearms were taken from him moments before the picture was taken.

Pic 14 is the famous one.

Under both Hague and Geneva persons found under arms and out of uniform during a time of war in a combat area can be summarily executed. That was exactly what General Nguyen Ngoc Loan did.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguyễn_Ngọc_Loan

I really despise the "suspected Viet Cong officer" in the caption. It doesn't matter. Found under arms, out of uniform is all that does. If we started being less generous about the application of this rule, we might find that we will be more successful against a people who respect this form.

By the way, it is brutal. I agree. C'est la guerre.