Drop!

This is coolbert:

Saddam's picture of his hanging from the rope and a video of the proceedings in the death chamber are now circulating. It suggests that Saddam, as I have said, was composed and did behave well in the face of death.

Death by hanging is still allowed in some American states. In Washington state, several years ago, a man was executed by hanging. Prior to executing this condemned man, the authorities referred to the U.S. Army drop table. A guide that is used for hangings. Tells you how far to drop a man of such and such weight and know that in 100 % of the cases, the man's neck will be cleanly broken without decapitation.

A lieutenant on the scene for the hangings of Nazi war criminals in the aftermath of World War Two [WW2] did keep detailed records of the executions. Weight, drop, results, etc.

Read here about the executions of the Nazi war criminals. They too seemed to be composed and faced up to death well. They did not grovel and beg. It would not have done any good to do so anyhow. I guess resignation was all that was left.

Julius Streicher even at the end demonstrated he still remained a defiant Nazi. The trial and execution of Streicher was even at the time controversial. By 1939, even before the war had started, Streicher was on the way out and had no real sway over things. He was prior to the start of the war a minor figure without authority.

Nonetheless, he was executed for pre-war activities, Jew-baiting being his forte'.

Also read about the hangings of American personnel during WW2. American servicemen executed by the U.S. Army for crimes such as murder and rape. NOT executed for cowardice or dereliction of duty in combat or anything like that. Just your average-every-day-run-of-the-mill murders and rapes!!

Dig this quote by Albert Pierrepoint, the last executioner in England:

"at an American execution you could be sure
of the best running buffet and unlimited canned beer."

[American servicemen were executed for raping Englishwomen. This had not been a crime punished in England by death since the 1860's. One might reason that the standards by which military men are supposed to behave, and the punishments for violations of standards are uniformly more strict than for civilians!!??]

Anyhow, just eighteen American servicemen were executed in England during WW2. NOT a large number considering the millions stationed in or passing through that nation during the duration of the war.

Am I being too flippant about all this!!?

coolbert.