“How is Private Slovak relavent?”
Private Slovak was a malingerer. It was towards the end of the war and everyone knew it was going to end, so people were much less enthusiastic to continue attacking. Nobody wanted to be the last casualty of WWII. The army decided they needed to make a very public statement that yes, indeed, there is still a war and if you don’t follow orders you will be executed. So, the picked someone and thoroughly investigated to ensure he wasn’t related to anyone important. They tried him and executed him. The idea was this would encourage people to continue spending their lives and health following orders. I was thinking that someone in Ukraine might get the same idea and do some executing.
I think that any Ukrainian executions would go over much the same as private Slovak’s execution. As I recall, it didn’t play in the press the way the army wanted it to. (And, this was a time when they pretty much controlled what was said.) I think any person would have sympathy for people not wanting to die.
I know the Private Slovak story but
I think the connection is tenuous.
Maybe more relevant would be what the penalty for desertion is/should be if that’s where we’re going here.
Ukrainians have been impressing young men into the army, and there are reports of them executing men of military age that tried to flee the country. In Mariupol there were many reports of solders that tried to surrender being shot before they could leave the lines.
Private Slovak was a tea party compared to some of the atrocities that the Ukrainians have been charged with.