"WP [i.e., white phosphorus rounds] proved to be an effective and versatile munition. We used it for screening missions at two breeches and, later in the fight, as a potent psychological weapon against the insurgents in trench lines and spider holes when we could not get effects on them with HE. We fired 'shake and bake' missions at the insurgents, using WP to flush them out and HE to take them out."
So my question, especially to Nick, is, does this passage imply white phosphorus being fired at personnel?
3 comments:
Well it sounds like it from that in a way. I mean technically any time you fire a round its at personnel, kind of pointless to just go lobbing shells. I'll have to read the whole thing to figure it out. I'll get back to you. HE is "High Explosive" just in case you were in your unawares.
After reviewing the play... wait I mean I read the AAR. Yes it is not only implying that it is saying that they did. Which is not a surprise. That's what it is for, I didn't see anything about its use on civilians though. We have used WP (or Willie Pete) forever. I don't know if you've seen We Were Soldiers but there is a scene in that movie where I guy gets hit with it. I can't say that its one of the nicer "tools" if you can call anything meant to kill someone nice.
My understanding was sorta that using incendiaries on personnel generally was a no-no due to the gruesomeness of the deaths. It would be worse if it was used against civilians, but in a sense that's kind of moot point here.
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