Zsa Zsa Gershick Quotes
The thing that is wrong with the Uniform Code of Military Justice is that it is not uniformly applied
Zsa Zsa Gershick, Author and Soldier, C-SPAN, Book TV, July 9, 2005
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
History is replete with instances of military coups. In the final analysis, in every country at all times, there is no force in a society that could cope with a military which decides to act on its own. The Founding Fathers were very conscious of this reality and history, hence the firm civilian control of the military in America.
In the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, private contractors wlere hired to provide many services in the war zone including intelligence, security and guard service. In carrying out their responsibilities, some private contractor employees killed and/or tortured suspects or innocent bystandarders against the laws of the United States. If American soldiers had committed these crimes, they would be court marshalled. However, the Code of Military Regulations and other laws applied only to armed forces personnel.
After WWII there was much focus on the Military Justice System which was much in need of reform and modernization.
He was convicted as a War Criminal, sentenced to death, and then his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. His quote is important because this was the defense that was totally rejected by the Nuremberg Tribunal—a solder is not required to obey an order to commit a war crime and if he does, he is as guilty as the person who gave the order.
His statement was on the issuance of Executive Order 9981 which outlawed military segregation and granted equal treatment and opportunity to all service members regardless of their race:
