Ilberd

[PArcher]

How many of the Garlean soldiers slain during this war were just following orders, I wonder?

Take a page from real life; how many Nazis that killed millions of people in the death camps were just "following orders"?

No, "following orders" isn't an excuse, and doesn't make you some innocent victim.

[Magis]

Take a page from real life; how many Nazis that killed millions of people in the death camps were just "following orders"?

No, "following orders" isn't an excuse, and doesn't make you some innocent victim.

Actually, some of the German army were conscripts of lands they took over (yay IRL parallels). How do you feel about say the Czech who were forced into the army against their will (do it or get shot)? Funny enough, if you watch Saving Private Ryan... it subtly touches on that point. After the Americans take over the beach on D-Day, there are two surrendering "Germans", with their hands up and are pleading to surrender in "German". Except they weren't, they were speaking Czech: "Please don't shoot me, I am not German, I am Czech, I didn't kill anyone!". The US soldiers didn't understand, and shot them on sight making jokes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCbW7Gkgu2U (Scene)

So let's bring it back to the Garleans; It's been established that most of the soldiers (especially the magic users since Garleans can't use magic) are from captured lands, specifically Ala Mahigo. A survivor of an ambushed battalion even says so in La Noscea, saying they weren't even Garlean and were forced into the war. He just wanted to go home and see their family again. I'd say a lot of these people are victims from both sides.

[Alberel]

Actually, some of the German army were conscripts of lands they took over (yay IRL parallels). How do you feel about say the Czech who were forced into the army against their will (do it or get shot)? Funny enough, if you watch Saving Private Ryan... it subtly touches on that point. After the Americans take over the beach on D-Day, there are two surrendering "Germans", with their hands up and are pleading to surrender in "German". Except they weren't, they were speaking Czech: "Please don't shoot me, I am not German, I am Czech, I didn't kill anyone!". The US soldiers didn't understand, and shot them on sight making jokes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCbW7Gkgu2U (Scene)

So let's bring it back to the Garleans; It's been established that most of the soldiers (especially the magic users since Garleans can't use magic) are from captured lands, specifically Ala Mahigo. A survivor of an ambushed battalion even says so in La Noscea, saying they weren't even Garlean and were forced into the war. He just wanted to go home and see their family again. I'd say a lot of these people are victims from both sides.

Thanks for reminding people of this. It is far too easy to demonise an enemy based on the actions of a few simply by association. This tendency is one of the greatest human flaws and probably the single greatest cause for Man's atrocities against fellow Man. Nothing is EVER black and white in reality and FFXIV has done a good job of reflecting this in its story so far. Even the Ascians aren't all pure evil as demonstrated by Elidibus (plus we still don't know the full story behind their motivations yet).

With regards to the "following orders" excuse... It's all too easy to say that it doesn't absolve you of your crime when you personally weren't in that situation. Any soldier to refuse such an order was shot on sight (and yes there actually WERE some). Somehow I imagine most of the people in this thread would likely have followed such orders if under the threat of being killed themselves. Humans become irrational and willing to do horrific things when their life is at stake. This is a very morally grey area.