Terminator
New member
enemy combatants also? During wars how do countries keep track of their war dead? Do countries keep meticulous records of all those sent into combat and those that do not return or are found dead, are considered MIA; especially if there are small 5 man groups like Special Forces or vehicles that get separated from a convoy? I have seen videos from the Chechen War and these show Rebels shooting Russians and leaving their bodies out in the forest or pushing the dead soldier down a hill out of sight. How do these countries know if these soldiers are MIA or Dead (Other than seeing it on Youtube or other video posting web sites)? I know that if in combat with large numbers it is easier to take ID from your dead or recover your dead and the enemies dead. But what about small groups?
And another question how do you go missing on the slightly rolling steppes of Russia or in the flat desert of North Africa? I have read that there is still a large number of German and Russian MIA's from the Russian front and both German, British & Americans from the war in North Africa. Another is how did the Japanese find out how many soldiers died if most of the bodies were just buried in mass graves, or in caves on Iwo Jima or the Jungles of Indo-China? Were there records of how many soldiers were on each island and Indo-China that actually survived the bombings of Tokyo? Also do most countries use Dog Tags to help keep track of their war dead.
And another question how do you go missing on the slightly rolling steppes of Russia or in the flat desert of North Africa? I have read that there is still a large number of German and Russian MIA's from the Russian front and both German, British & Americans from the war in North Africa. Another is how did the Japanese find out how many soldiers died if most of the bodies were just buried in mass graves, or in caves on Iwo Jima or the Jungles of Indo-China? Were there records of how many soldiers were on each island and Indo-China that actually survived the bombings of Tokyo? Also do most countries use Dog Tags to help keep track of their war dead.