Reply #7: KCabot, I wouldn't get too effusive with the praise for the Communists on this issue. Check

[bertman]

out a book written by James A. Michener immediately after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. The Soviets were absolutely ruthless in their suppression of the uprising against them by the Hungarians. The cruelty and savagery are horrendous. And it was institutional.

We have some very sick people and some horrible things have happened in our military, but we are talking about millions of people who are trained to fight and kill. In that setting and with that many service members, it is no surprise that these types of things are going to happen at least as often as in civil society. When it does, the military honchos are going to do everything they can to keep it quiet. That said, it does not appear to be institutional, meaning sanctioned by the military, but rather a byproduct of some individuals who have gone over the edge.

I am not trying to diminish the monstrous nature of what happened to those soldiers, but I also do not want to paint our military as being anywhere near the level of the Soviets or even the Japanese during WWII. Because it is not the case.