DEPLETE%DUKEMVS.BITNET@ncsuvm.ncsu.edu (12/12/90)
From: DEPLETE%DUKEMVS.BITNET@ncsuvm.ncsu.edu During the Iran/Iraq war both sides made extensive use of children as combat troops. In this regard I have several questions: 1. Are there significant diferences in how you motivate children over how you motivate regular combat troops? 2. Is the incidence of post traumatic stree syndrome in combat children any higher thatn in adult troops? 3. Is there a transference to the "high exalted leader" of the loyalty,etc that children would normally have for their fathers and mothers ? 4. How about mortatlity rates in children versus adult soldiers? 5. How many of these traumatized kids would we estimate remain alive on the Iraqi side? 6. What kinds of units did Iran and Iraq use these kids in? 7. What about the German experience? .
cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold) (12/15/90)
From: cga66@ihlpy.att.com (Patrick V Kauffold) >From article <1990Dec12.031813.10959@cbnews.att.com>, by DEPLETE%DUKEMVS.BITNET@ncsuvm.ncsu.edu: > > 7. What about the German experience? > Some years ago, I had a long conversation with a man and his wife who had been age 10-12 in 1945 in Germany. Both had been Hitler Youth. Both had been involved in the final defense of the Fatherland against the US forces. The most striking thing they expressed was that the experience was FUN! Great fun. The man had been part of an 88 crew which had scored hits on US vehicles; the woman had served in a hospital. Both had seen friends and relatives die during the final days of fighting. Their memories, however, seemed to be mostly positive, happy ones. Until the late 19th century, most armies/navies have made use of children of age 12-15; midshipmen were commonly sent to sea on warships; officer cadets learned their trade "on the job". Drummers, orderlies, and messengers were some of the jobs of children. Of course, most people were considered adults at age 15 or 16, again until late in the 19th century.