I would have to say that anyone who doesn't look at all sides of a conflict and remember that on both sides men died for their country, family and their friends should  not be allowed into the historical field!  frankly, if you're blind enough to think that only one side had all the good on it's side, you need your head adjusted.  in the USA you'll see that alot with WWII, people think the USA did nothing wrong and we were incapable of commiting war crimes or attrocities in that war.  excuse me, but we massacered German Prisoners wholesale at some points!
    and, in no conflict is one side all-good or all evil.  I'm looking into Irish history now, and there is a hell of a lot of bad on both sides, and there is a huge amount of gray.  overall, I think the Catholic Irish resorted to force as a last resort, because the English were not listening to anything they said, and treated them as inferior beings (as they believed they were).  but some actions taken by the catholics were wrong, plain and simple.  it is murder to kill a civilian in time of war or peace if you walk up behind him and stab him, no matter which side he's on.
     I can adopt an anti-english, anti-Scots (Who were the Ulster Orange Men) attitude durring public hours, and spit when talking about Cromwell, but I explain why the attitude was there and I use it only in context.  after hours, I drop it.  my Girlfriend is English on one side of her family, oh, and the other too. (I've almost got her converted to the dark side.....)
     I think we should have someone play either "Amasing Grace" or "Over the Hills and Far Away" after the battle in memoriam, while the public is still there.  I think it would be a good reminder for them.

         Steve

neil wrote on 04/19/07 at 08:22:59:


You had the same thing during the War of Three Kingdoms - especially between some of the senior officers.

And of course during the '45 they were puting sons in to the armies of both sides - not that they were sitting on the fence or anything.