The United States, till today, is known due to its military might in the international arena. With one of the largest budgets in the world, the US Armed Forces represent a battle-hardened military, equipped with advanced weaponry. From Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan and Venezuela, the US military has constantly been engaged in warfare throughout the course of history. 

But why does the world only know about the mighty power of the US military? Is there any dark side buried by the US Justice Department? Let’s delve into some of the major war crimes in American history that were not only masked from the general public but have also resulted in dire consequences that the world is still bearing.

Enacted in 1996, the US War Crimes Act is a federal ruling that governs the cases of severe violations of humanitarian laws codified in international humanitarian rule books. The law declares that any humanitarian crime committed by or against the US nationals and army personnel would be dealt with strict jurisdiction. It incorporates all types of breaches, including torture, intentional civil killings, and inhuman treatment of the protected persons. 

The violations could result in penalties, imprisonment, or even death penalties, depending on the severity of the crime. As of 2006, an amendment was made to the law under the Military Commissions Act, whereby only several breaches were declared unlawful. For instance, harsh interrogation methods were exempted from the war crimes jurisdiction. Despite all this, the war crimes committed by the US soldiers have been dealt with by the military courts, to bury the facts and figures.

Major American War Crimes 

The massacre was conducted in July 1943 by the Allied forces during World War 2 at Biscari airfield. The Allies successfully invaded Sicily, and the American soldiers captured nearly eighty Italian and German soldiers. American soldiers have clear orders to force prisoners to move fast towards detention camps, and if not, kill them. 

Following the order of the high command, approximately seventy-three prisoners were viciously killed by the US military personnel. Resultantly, the US military court held two soldiers responsible for the killings and violating international humanitarian laws, but all in vain. One was convicted and later released, and the other was pardoned on the basis of merely following high command orders.

Dachau Liberation Reprisals 

At the end of World War 2, American soldiers detained dozens of German prisoners. On 29 April 1945, the US Army liberated its soldiers held by German forces at the Dachau concentration camp. The prisoners were kept in vulnerable conditions........

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