Situation : The company commander orders your platoon to defend an area which includes a heavily populated village.

Situation: The company commander orders your platoon to defend an area which includes a heavily populated village. Within the village is a five-story medical facility used to provide aid to noncombatants and civilians. Vehicles properly marked as medical transport sit in front of the hospital in clear site. The recon element reports of several historical monuments and museums in the area. To help facilitate the ease of troop movement, and to protect the civilian population, the commander orders the evacuation of the local population. The commander drafts an order notifying the mayor--"At 0600 tomorrow the evacuation will begin. If people refuse to cooperate, we will use force to remove them from their homes. Additionally, we will destroy any homes of those who refuse to leave." The platoon sergeant asked you, the senior squad leader, to review the order, and to provide him feedback before the commander releases it.

1. What would be your response to the order? Explain in detail.
2. Would you change it? If so how and why?
3. The Marine Corps Reference Publication 4-11.8B, War Crimes briefly mentions indiscriminate attacks. What does the statement "Soldiers will not fire indiscriminately" mean to you?
4. , describe the following key terms for this lesson:

1. Hors de Combat:
2. Auxiliary Medical personnel:
3. Grave Breaches:

References:

FM 27-10 THE LAW OF LAND WARFARE (INCL C1)

AR 27-1 LEGAL SERVICES, JUDGE ADVOCATE LEGAL SERVICES (*RAR 001, 09/13/2011)

MCRP 4-11-8b WAR CRIMES

Army Publishing Directorate (APD)

Marine Corps Publications Electronic Library