Hi Bernard,
I’ve just read your fantastic article about Agincourt (Azincourt) featured in the online mail. No offence to our European neighbours across the Channel – each and every country worldwide has produced over the years some fine troops and developed genius tactics – but really I’ve grown tired of daft ‘war crime’ accusations, especially of something that took place during a brutal, ruthless time when there was a fine line between life and death. Sadly, precious few nations can boast to a record clean of atrocities. Certainly British Empire soldiers during The American Revolution, Indian Mutiny, etc, did commit some terrible crimes, many of which shall never come to light. Both Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz featured scenes of rape, theft, and killing of civilians – who were actually our Allies at the time! – thus besmirching the honour of our military. But then, what about French atrocities committed during the Peninsular War? And what of Louis XIV’s plundering policy during the late
17th/early18th centuries? The Vietnam War is also a prime example of countless atrocities that can never be justified. In fact, every war has a million, tragic stories in the telling. The biggest irony is that Great Britain and France were allies during the Crimean War, World War One, and Two, before helping form NATO – yet all of a sudden military alliances are forgotten in the face of a miraculous victory fought centuries ago. It seems Agincourt has left its mark on French generations after. And still inspires Britons today. My advice to the French people is remember the sun shining on the arms of Austerlitz, to the Russians: Poltava ended the Meteor’s threat, while Austria’s valiant defence paid off during the Siege of Vienna….the military of many nations have a right to be proud of their victories.
Robert Douglas