Modern Views of The Incidents
It was a controversial event and many historians agree it was a violation of protocol to order sailors attacked. Other historians debate this analysis (such as if the order was a violation) or debate aspects of the records, and have been either harsher or more lenient. Widely available German, British, and American records agree on certain facts, but a number of details of the incident may or may not have been fabricated based upon a less notable or extensive violation.
Disputed facts mostly centre on the number of German sailors who escaped the sinking submarine, to be killed later. This dispute undermines the debate about the abuse of a neutral flag and the British captain's order to attack the German survivors, on the grounds of protecting the freighter and her cargo, which could always be alleged. It is not known to what extent escaping German sailors attempted to surrender as they were not asked before shooting them.
Read more about this topic: Baralong Incidents
Famous quotes containing the words modern, views and/or incidents:
“It was announced that the trouble was not “malignant.”... It was a typical triumph of modern science to find the only part of Randolph that was not malignant and remove it.”
—Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966)
“Taught from their infancy that beauty is woman’s sceptre, the mind shapes itself to the body, and, roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison. Men have various employments and pursuits which engage their attention, and give a character to the opening mind; but women, confined to one, and having their thoughts constantly directed to the most insignificant part of themselves, seldom extend their views beyond the triumph of the hour.”
—Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797)
“An element of exaggeration clings to the popular judgment: great vices are made greater, great virtues greater also; interesting incidents are made more interesting, softer legends more soft.”
—Walter Bagehot (1826–1877)