What is a "Conscience Round"? Do they even make sense?

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"A firing squad would only have one live round, so nobody would know who did the killing!" is something I've unfortunately heard from a few different sources over the years. There is a kernel of truth to the idea- the "Conscience Round" is a real concept and they were in fact used! However, the purported anonymity of a blank round isn't quite so strong as all that. It may help with your conscious before the fact...but maybe not so much after! So, why were they used? Is there a practical consideration at play here? -
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[@klappspatenkamikaze]

Trivia: Roman Legionaries did use Conscience Clubs when decimating their own unit.

[@auscam6666]

but did they only hit once every ten hits though?

[@Taistelukalkkuna]

Conscience Guillotine didn´t quite take in French Revolution.

[@mick2d2]

Rubber?

[@hatuletoh]

@@Taistelukalkkuna That was exactly the smart ass joke I was going to make. Then I thought maybe "conscience noose?", but they actually kind of devised a version of that too, with "the drop". Skunked twice on smart ass joke, damn.

[@AftermathRV]

nono, thats LARPing.

[@RyanRyzzo]

"We aim to please!" - Pte. Robinson, firing squad member tasked to execute Capt. Edmund Blackadder.

[@rctommy3200]

READYAIMFIRE

[@RyanRyzzo]

@@rctommy3200 If I ever have to be executed I want that corporal as the one who gives the order to shoot. Can't stand waiting.

[@Marinealver]

The firing squad is like the tax man.

[@olbradley]

50,000 people die every week no one's gonna miss a pigeon...

[@TheConfederate1863]

Hé killed my pigeon? 😡

[@gustavobscura5846]

In a WW1 solider’s memoir he mentioned that the shooters (including him) were TOLD that only some of their rifles were loaded with live ammunition when actually all of them were. This would provide reasonable doubt before hand AND a likely-dead target afterwards but reportedly did not increase the popularity of the lying officer as you can imagine.

[@Treblaine]

I doubt an officer will ever be that popular commanding a firing squad executing people from your own side. Especially as firing squads are more for enforcing discipline. Apparently Herman Goering wanted to be executed by firing squad rather than "hanged like a common criminal". Also the hangman the Americans were using at the time was notoriously incompetent so it would be a slow death.

[@samurguy9906]

@@Treblaine potential history has a pretty hilarious video about that hangman. Apparently he bumbled and lied his way into the position and no one called him out on it, probably because no one wanted to take the job or be responsible for providing a replacement.

[@georgethompson1460]

@Juan Sanchez Clever that way the sheer self importance of the self given medals would turn the bullet away in disgust...

[@reedy_9619]

Only works if you dont do it often i d imagine

[@bobbybalogne2565]

You can tell the difference between shooting a live round and a blank,, there is almost no recoil when firing a weapon not loaded with a blank round.

[@pinnedthrottle7690]

In John Billings’s book “Hardtack and Coffee” about his experience in the American Civil War, there was an execution of a man who deserted and was caught while acting as a spy in a neighboring regiment. He mentions that one, two, or three muskets would be loaded blank (out of 10 or 12 muskets iirc) but for this man’s turncoating, his whole company volunteered for the firing squad. They ended up having 15 men set up for the firing squad, and their sgt allowed them to load their own muskets. Upon study of the body, they found 15 holes in the mans body.

[@babyinuyasha]

They didn't use muskets, they used rifles.

[@WG55]

For a turncoat, I imagine that not all wounds were in the chest!

[@pinnedthrottle7690]

@@babyinuyasha Rifled muskets technically. In the book he calls them muskets

[@noahgibsonspeninsularwarsa1134]

Probably be the same as the British regiments.

[@plymouth5714]

@ŇøHă Ģ. The British instructional manuals even up to the First World War still described rifle training as 'Musketry' long after muskets were replaced with rifled weapons.

[@rastas3742]

Every man would have a live round, and every man could tell his conscience that he had not killed the condemned. For if he had not fired the man would still have died to the fire of the others. When 12 men shoot, who fired the fatal round? Each man can say "Not I".

[@rzu1474]

No? Shared murder is still murder...

[@thomasbarrett5658]

@@rzu1474 yes but you don’t definitively know which bullet killed him

[@PoisonBannana]

@@thomasbarrett5658 ah yes, nothing makes an insecure human more insecure than by withholding vital information to the psyche, following an ultimatum to follow orders. Yes.

[@smolkafilip]

Unless of course you don't monumentaly suck at shooting. Then you would know exactly where your round went given that you are shooting a rifle at maybe 10-20 yards.

[@logandial9995]

@@smolkafilip I mean its usually not clear where exactly you shot. I guess at the end of the kill how many holes were in the body were withheld

[@ROTTERDXM]

Considering the fluidity of memory, I was also thinking that later, after the execution, the soldiers involved in the shooting would still be able to believe that "no, it must have been a blank". The more you think back on something, the more the memory will change. After 10 years, or 20, it might be possible to believe it wasn't you. Even though at the time it would be easy to tell.

[@gabrielegenota1480]

Oh! I certainly have some similar "memory changing" events so-- That soudns like a really nice theory

[@skin1313]

Nope, you definitely know what you have fired.

[@bencheevers6693]

You are absolutely right about the nature of memory and especially if you are motivated by guilt, not that this guilt is rational when ordered to participate in a firing squad while under military hierarchy, you don't get to refuse and if you do you might end up also on the wall for gross insubordination depending on the nation.

[@podemosurss8316]

In the Spanish civil war there were many mass executions, and this is an anecdote about one of them (which went wrong): In El Viso de los Pedroches, Cordoba, a young socialist conscript was fired upon by a firing squad. His name was Miguel Gila, and he survived the firing as the members of the squad were all drunk and missed all the rounds, yet he feigned death and later escaped. He survived the war and became one of the best comedians Spain has ever had until his death in 2001, making a lot of sketches with his most famous being a parody of war in which he plays a soldier calling the enemy by telephone to talk about both sides' plans of attack. In his memoires, he gives a description on what happened: "They shot us at dusk, they shot wrong. The firing squad was composed by a group of moors with their stomaches filled in wine, their mouths filled in laughters, their hands picking the neck of stolen chicken with the aforementioned "Open Sesamy" of the victorious side. Cold and rain pierced our bones. And there, in a small embanckment and without the formalities of an execution by firing, without that voice saying "Aim! Fire!", they pulled their triggers and we fell one on another. Fourteen grotesque jumps on that cold dusk in the middle of december. Chickens had little time to breathe, the time the soldiers of the firing squad used to pull the triggers. And, over the wet ground soaked by rain, our bodies laid, tired of dealing with the day to day." He could have made a great use of that box.

[@Marinealver]

First Time?

[@podemosurss8316]

@@Marinealver If you speak Spanish, this is the sketch I mentioned: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iH6XYoCogLqbgpY Unfortunately I didn't find a subbed version, it's a really funny conversation between two soldiers who are enemy to each other, yet they share each side's warplans. It would be like: "Are you going to attack tomorrow? [...] Ah, on Sunday. At which time? [...] That's too soon, we are all sleeping at that time. Can it be in the evening, after the football match? [...] And, how many will be attacking? [...] That's a lot. I don't know wether we'll have enough rounds for everyone. Anyways, we'll fire and then you share the rounds. [...] Ah, and yesterday was here your spy, Agustín, a small man dressed as a bitch. He stole the map of our supply stash, we want the map back. [...] Okay, let him make a copy and then give the map back! [...] Yes, because we cannot find the sty... the stash! [...] Okay. And, could you stop the war for about an hour? [...] 'Cause our gun barrel is barred. [...] The captain, when inspecting the equipment, stuck his head inside and cannot get out.He's alive, we hear him saying: 'Get me outta here!' We tried using soap, but it just cleans his hair without getting his head out. [...] Yes, maybe firing the gun will unbolt it! We didn't realise. [...] Okay. Until sunday. Have a nice kill!"

[@mlm_academyofficial2041]

It's sad that he had to wait until 2001 before he became a good socialist.

[@podemosurss8316]

@@mlm_academyofficial2041 He was one of the best Spanish comedians ever, so you better shut up.

[@mlm_academyofficial2041]

@@podemosurss8316 Maybe a according to a random commie on youtube.

[@deniskozlowski9370]

During the early 20th century one the western States in the US had the firing squad as their means of execution. One of the condemned prisoners was an immigrant who had murdered a lawyer he believed had defrauded him. This prisoner became quite popular with the prison staff. So popular that the guards refused to participate in the firing squad. The warden contracted a local mechanic to construct a firing squad machine. This robot murder machine was equipped with several Winchester 30-30 caliber rifles that would simultaneously fire at the prisoners heart via s mechanical timing device. On the date of the execution the device worked perfectly. But strangely enough, one the rifles was still loaded with a blank cartridge because that was state law at the time.

[@JoinMe27]

Does anyone have a source for this story? Sounds pretty cool

[@deniskozlowski9370]

@@JoinMe27 I believe it used to be on Bucks website.

[@gringostarr69]

@@deniskozlowski9370 I want the source

[@deniskozlowski9370]

@@gringostarr69 The History Channel, Wild West Tech

[@brucenorman8904]

The State was Utah, firing squad was allowed due to Mormon doctrine.

[@mexicoball2529]

plot twist: everyone had a blank round and the desertors were paid actors

[@EPWillard]

Our soldiers are just really good at handling recoil when they perform executions don't worry about it.

[@brokeandtired]

@@EPWillard blanks have near zero recoil due to no bullet....They would KNOW they had shot a live round.

[@audiebradley2995]

@@brokeandtired I believe that it’s a joke on live bullets...

[@harrisonmcarthur7816]

"Ah, firing squads. It's just everyone's favorite method of execution, isn't it?" Well personally I prefer and good old fashioned Beheading but that's just me.

[@BrandonF]

There's always a place for the traditional stuff to be sure.

[@harrisonmcarthur7816]

@@BrandonF Oh indeed. Great Video by the way. I was wondering though, Have you completed your series on the Patriot or have you forsaken it to save your sanity?

[@charlesq7866]

I'm a crucifixion man myself, but firing squad is a close second favourite! Guillotine is good too.

[@Tiger89Lilly]

I'm more of a hanging woman myself but I can see the appeal of the firing squad

[@snowangelnc]

Traditional, yes, but throwing in the unusual every now and then does keep things interesting. You know, drowing in a cask of wine, pit of vipers, walling up inside a pyramid, that kind of thing.

[@feraltrafficcone4483]

“How compelling, now please turn around and face the wall”

[@michaelbevan3285]

My late grandfather took part in firing squads and said that the procedure was that the rifles were loaded by an NCO, to ensure that no-one messed with the ammunition; the rifles were handed to the squad at random, so men did not always use their own issued rifle, service on the squad was voluntary and men could refuse without punishment but the entire battalion was warned in advance that if they refused as a unit, it was mutiny so there were always volunteers. They only saw the condemned man when they were marched out to the firing point. As soon as they fired, they were immediately marched off, disarmed and taken into a seperate room and given a drink. Some men, even combat veterans, only ever shot once in a squad and refused to shoot again. If the coup de grace was required,an Officer did that. That was rare but it did happen. They were exhorted to shoot straight,to make sure that the condemned got an instant death but it sometimes happened that shaky hands and nerves meant that shots went wide or struck the limbs instead of the centre of mass.

[@nehukybis]

It was apparently common practice in WW1. There's an account in the book "Britain's Army in the Twentieth Century" by Field Marshal Lord Michael Carver of a soldier who participated in a firing squad and he said he was aware the moment he fired that he had the blank round. It is possible, though, to load the rifle with a disintegrating bullet (e.g. wax) to make the recoil difference less obvious. As I understand it, firing squads are one of the most humane methods of execution, so long as the shooters don't flinch. Although I think there's something to be said for the Russian method of using a low velocity pistol round to the base of the skull.

[@robertharris6092]

Why low velocity?

[@cynicalfox190]

@@robertharris6092 low velocity rounds are in general much heavier rounds and at point blank range will do more damage, thus a heavy round from a pistol to the base of the skull is pretty much as humane as a rifle round to the heart

[@stevenbobbybills]

@@robertharris6092 a round will penetrate further if it is faster. A slower round is more likely to impart most of its energy on a target than a high velocity round.

[@nehukybis]

@@stevenbobbybills That. Also, the executions were usually performed in the prisoner's cell, and it's probably just safer for the executioner and less messy. The standard Tokarev 7.62 X 25 was a relatively powerful round for a handgun and over-penetration was an issue in general when it was used as a police weapon. For whatever reason, they manufactured ammo specifically designed for executions. If the muzzle of the pistol is just a few inches from base of the skull you don't need a combat round.

[@stevenbobbybills]

@@nehukybis Yes, the military load for the 7.62 Tokarev round was quite high velocity, so any issues of overpenetration causing damage to things that they did not want to damage would be problematic.

[@MegaSnegovichok]

Interesting, I have never heard about it. I know about some firing squad soldiers consciously trying to miss, that’s why Soviet commissars would often count the bullet holes on the body and punish the squad sometimes. Conversely, Soviet military regulations didn’t allow to “re-shoot” the one who miraculously survived the volley (not that it never happened either)

[@davidweihe6052]

Wouldn't the Commissar have a pistol for a coup d'grace, if needed, which it obviously would be if everybody missed? He might have to reload a few times before they are all dead, of course.

[@MegaSnegovichok]

Not with the firing squads, as far as I know. A wounded victim would not be “re-shot” again. But NKVD didn’t use firing squads: they would shoot people with the pistol to the back of the head (Chinese way). No waste of ammo and no need to “finish them off”. That was also the way criminals were executed in the Soviet Union.

[@arforafro5523]

Alternate universe: everyone gets tracer rounds so people will know if you're not shooting to kill.

[@llewelynshingler2173]

@@Entropic_Meat_Machine Shoot until the troops stop moaning?

[@Alte.Kameraden]

There is a wonderful video showing a shotgun shell going off next to a balloon that kind of expresses this well. It's a live round, but without all the ingredients needed it doesn't even pop the balloon without a chamber for the explosive force to direct the shot forward at velocity, without the pressure it also provides the balloon is unharmed despite being hit by many pieces of lead shot from the shell, it had no force. The same concept works when there is no projectile being forced through the chamber, without the lead projectile providing resistance to the expending gas you loose all that energy, which means no recoil. You remove one basic element from the equation that makes a firearm work the way it does, it doesn't work, even with an explosion, expansion of gas, etc, it does not work. Anyone who fires a rifle would notice when one of these elements failed, because it wouldn't feel right. If the round had no powder it would not go off. If it had no projectile it would have no recoil. If it had no barrel it would be a glorified firecracker, with even the bullet likely causing no harm to anything as it wouldn't have the pressure to be thrown at a dangerous velocity. Oh BTW, I'm not saying you should play with a live cartridge in your backyard, as even a brass case can still provide enough pressure to make it dangerous, just no were remotely near as much as if it was fired from the weapon it was designed to be fired from.... The shotgun shell video, well shotgun shells are normally paper or plastic and almost require the shotgun to be dangerous.

[@Talashaoriginal]

Sorry but this is not scientifically correct, it is really the mass of the bullet wich provides the recoil as in Newtons third law. Without the bullet, you only have the mass of the burning propellant wich get exelerated away from you.

[@Talashaoriginal]

@Gary Daniel The energy of the mass wich is thrown out of the Puzzle determines the recoil if there is just a powdercharge, the recoil will Match the mass and the speed of the expanding Gases sich th Explosion of the propellant creates and wich Are Driven out of the muzzle, with a Bullet you will also have the energy of the bullet added to the recoil.

[@Talashaoriginal]

@Gary Daniel then sorry for my smartassery.

[@carloharryman]

Saw a friend shoot a shotgun round, it was sitting on a stump. Round detonated and my other buddy caught a piece of shot on the hand. Barely broke the skin but an unchambered round will surely pop a balloon if it'll break human skin. Now maybe it was a ricochet, but I tend to think not. And sixteen year olds are stupid.

[@snowangelnc]

6:55: A rotten thing to do would have been to mess with the test by having all three of the rounds be live. Round One: *fires* Something tells me that was the live round. Round Two: *prepares to fire, 100% convinced that he has a blank round*.....

[@bertellijustin6376]

This is the opposite of how we used to catch “anticipators” in the Corps. Load one dummy round into their mag at random. Wait till they hit it....watch them flinch all over the place anticipating the recoil.

[@gaiamission7200]

Im just wondering why they used three rifles instead of just loading three shots into the magazine

[@abusivewafflegaming4450]

@@gaiamission7200 He could've had a chance to see the round while working the bolt

[@milsimmaniac711]

video on napoleonic war crimes?

[@BrandonF]

One of these days for sure!

[@joeblow9657]

yes

[@oz_jones]

@@BrandonF nice

[@scarling9367]

There's a couple good ones on KZbin >:)

[@babyinuyasha]

Someone's got his poppy on early!

[@fuferito]

Noticed that too.

[@BrandonF]

Not quite- the Poppy Appeal began a few days ago!

[@babyinuyasha]

@@BrandonF I wear mine throughout the year lol

[@thrand6760]

never too early, never forget

[@hi-uw2lb]

@@BrandonF Usually doesn't the wearing of the poppy start in November? Or is it different out side of Canada...

[@thedreysepodcasttv4852]

The last time I was this early Zimbabwe was still called Rhodesia

[@ArcanisUrriah]

It still is by some people.......

[@thedreysepodcasttv4852]

@@ArcanisUrriah very true Rhodesians never die as they say.

[@thewingedhussars6313]

@@thedreysepodcasttv4852 , and WE DON’T !

[@Impreza-bj5jh]

Cringe

[@floo1465]

yeah, fuck zimbabwe, reinstate rhodesian rule!

[@rayyanma1608]

Don't have to worry about blank rounds if you're a Soviet officer.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

German firing squads did not bother with a conscience round. You were supposed to shoot the guy to death so you did.

[@poletooke4691]

That "Wait! I have here a real live round, here you go! ✨" AFTER the fact in a blind test absolutely kills me. 😂😂😂

[@historypunkwargames4760]

Fearless leader is very funny he always manages to sneak his way into a video

[@CivilWarWeekByWeek]

Well this is a perfect example of how people deal with the horrors of war

[@slightlyistorical1776]

Have you ever watched that God-awful show “Deadliest Warrior” and that one episode where George Washington fights Napoleon Bonaparte? Trust me, you’ll regret watching it

[@dmwanderer9454]

Deadliest Warrior was the best show on MTV since Manswers, hold your tongue

[@tobinfromfireemblem9742]

Or that time they had a knight in mail armor wearing a burgonet with a dang metal shield. A burgonet, generally made in worn in the Renaissance, with mail armor, generally worn _way_ before the Renaissance. And a metal shield, a FULLY METAL KITE SHIELD. WHAT?

[@TheDefend3r]

I liked the fight of a ninja versus a spartan....that was sssoooo informative...

[@tobinfromfireemblem9742]

@@TheDefend3r especially the part where the ninja engaged in full on combat. I mean, ninjas (or more accurately, shinobi) were mainly spys, but who cares about accuracy right? Ninja Gaiden, ninjato cutting sword, 10 million dead!

[@TheDefend3r]

@@tobinfromfireemblem9742 thank you, seeing a " ninja" armed with katana and wearing all black, engaging in the action packed combat of cinema has always rubbed me a certain wrong way. Especially after learning what the shinobi were truly used for and how they were employed. Deadliest warrior seemed to just gather fan boys of each type of warrior and let them fan boy it up.

[@joeblow9657]

1:45 I mean if I was sentenced to death I'd prefer firing squad. Yes, it's my favorite don't judge.

[@WG55]

It's certainly better than the gas chamber. 😖

[@Retard634]

Id prefer getting riddled with several high caliber bullets over the electric chair gas chamber and especially the fucking lethal injection considering all the horror stories ive heard about that (not finding veins the anesthetic not fucking working etc) kinda hard to fuck up getting hit by 8 308 or 30 06 bullets in the chest granted I wont die instantly but ill die quickly (considering they are supposed to aim for my heart) and hopefully before it starts to hurt granted id prefer the soviet style where some guy walks up to me and puts a large pistol to the side of my head

[@joeblow9657]

@@WG55 Yes, also bullets aren't against the Geneva Convention for the most part. Gas very much is

[@joeblow9657]

@@Retard634 Why not get lined up an shot with 8 .303 rounds and then have an officer whit a high caliber pistol walk over and finish the job. All done in 30 seconds

[@Retard634]

@@joeblow9657 because I'm not a brit and in the states we dont have that officer with the high caliber pistol finishing the job

[@thecodex0994]

The two dislikes are from the people that are the condemned to be shot

[@robguerra4058]

I love seeing Brandon shoulder a gun. He always does it so intensely like he's ready

[@steamengineshooray]

That chap at 6:21, I'm quite interested in his uniform and loadout, that's a perfect representation of far east and middle east service from 1917 to 1939~

[@BrandonF]

kzbin.info/door/XOVWIPeLrc1Xeb1crgQP4g to learn more!

[@steamengineshooray]

@@BrandonF Many thanks for this! The kit stood out to me as I'm from HK and regiments wore this when posted over to the Far East. There's a picture of some men of the Middlesex Regiment in 1938 wearing the exact same stuff~

[@TheFarOffStation]

@@steamengineshooray glad to see you've found the channel!

[@338lapuamagnum5]

[talking about firing squads] "I only ever put it into practice you know once or twice in my life."

[@AtomicPeacenik]

This topic always puzzled me. Neat to see it brought to light.

[@johnpatterson9829]

The intent was justice seen to be applied by your fellow soldiers, often using a selection of men from several regiments, witnessed enmasse. There was no inducement to miss, as the condemned was, in any event, dispatched by the man in charge. If there was any psychological inducement it was probably an early rum ration.

[@NotStephenColbert]

To be fair, as far as blank rounds feeling weaker, that really depends on the powder charge in the blank. Most blanks are loaded very lightly compared to live rounds. Aside from that, most blank powder is specialized and burns a lot faster than normal powder; if you loaded blank powder into a live cartridge, you run the risk of actually blowing up your gun because of how fast it burns. So while you would probably never reach the same kind of recoil impulse from a blank due to Newtons law and whatnot, you could probably still craft a blank that is heavier in recoil and closer to a live round. Just as you can make live ammo that is as light as a blank, which I tested out when making 30-06 hand loads. I messed around with the load data, and made the maximum charges and the minimum charges for acceptable loads. The result of the minimum 30-06 loads was a slower and quieter bullet that had about the same recoil impulse as shooting one of my 22lr rifles, which is next to nothing; the recoil was also almost comparable to what I experienced shooting 30-06 blanks out of the same rifle.

[@bornagaingeek7279]

Part of it is the seed of doubt. Experienced soldiers will know the difference, but in the moment people mis-remember things and they won't talk to their mates. Also, firing squads for a condemed soldier is usually made up of troops from their own unit. So if the soldier is concentrating on aiming true and listening for the command, they may not be concentrating enough to fully trust their own memory of the recoil. Also, part of it is accountability. The soldiers are as far as they know carrying out lawful sentanse. But if their is a later equitle then who can really say which if those six men actually killed the innocent man. As you say, blank round adds professionalism to the deed. Otherwise the soldiers have little to no confidence that this is a lawful act, that they are to be part of. All that said, it was not unheard of for soldiers to refuse to take part. I have a vague memory of a ww1 British soldier saying so in interview, that it was the one duty they could refuse, so he did. He received no judgment or consequence. In the end of course, there is an RMP officer, who's duty is to perform coup de grace as necessary.

[@JagerLange]

"Firing Squads: I'm not saying our sponsor's product *can't* help you in this situation, but at that point what do you have to lose...?"

[@thepuffin4050]

Sup fellow regulars. We wearing purple today

[@omega5279]

You are overlooking the rifle in this analysis. In my own military training I remember we had to use adapters on our rifles to allow them to cycle properly with blanks. Consequentially, these also increased the recoil. These worked by essentially plugging the barrel, allowing only a fraction of the gas to escape. It's at least plausible that the person receiving the "conscience round" is also receiving it in a rifle with a modified barrel, which could be indistinguishable from the outside. This would be especially difficult to identify if the execution were carried out as a manual of arms drill offering the squad little to no opportunity to inspect their weapons carefully. I've never heard of anything like this actually happening but it's a way it could work.

[@auscam6666]

When the SGT loads the rounds into the chamber for the soldier he places a wooden blank into one, this blank has a lot more cordite inside than a regular blank would, and because it has a wooden pill it gets fired like a live round & gives recoil because of the larger amount of cordite. When you're in a squad of 10 and all fire at once it is less likely that the individual with the blank would know about it. Or in the 1950's a rifle grenade blank would have been used, although they had a crimped end they had a large qty of cordite to fire the mills boms from the discharger cup.

[@Tevildo]

Brandon, if I might make a slight factual correction - it's not "Short Magazine Lee-Enfield", it's "[Rifle], Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield". "Short" (and "Magazine" and "Lee-Enfield") are all adjectives applicable to the rifle - the magazine isn't short, the rifle is.

[@philipdesroches9395]

Huh, I have occasionally wondered what the difference was between a short (10 round) vs a long ( ? rounds) magazine, but this clears it up, thx.

[@logancedillo4962]

WHO DISLIKED THIS? very shameful

[@dandamanatee9023]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ_OkKV4g56diKs

[@tathemrelag3123]

A SHAMEFUR DISPRAY! ... I'm sorry. Japan was mentioned in this video, I just had to.

[@Marinealver]

If you will not serve in combat, Then you will serve on the firing line!

[@drakonchik1361]

My personal thought was about an instance where someone was to be shoot at firing squad but all of the rounds were blank, which resulted into the deserter or someone who failed his duty or messed up to be extremely scared and next time making sure that it doesn't happen ever again.

[@lovablesnowman]

Does anyone know if the Brits in ww1 let men avoid being in a firing squad? Like could you just request not to do it and they'll get someone else?

[@silvesby]

Interesting question

[@TheMrcoolgaming]

Doubtful, I don't think you could find people willing to kill their fellow countryman and soldier easily.

[@marcusborderlands6177]

I've seen a few anecdotes where people refused to participate, and we're not punished in any way.

[@neurofiedyamato8763]

I started out assuming everyone gun was loaded. Then when I heard of this I actually kind of believed it since it seemed to make sense at first to help the executioners sanity? But after awhile it felt strange. Considering all that goes on in war, firing squad is probably the least guilty thing you've done. But if it is one less trauma, the better right? But who is to say that the opposite wouldn't happen? What if every soldier think their gun was the loaded one and not the unloaded one? I couldn't tell which were to happen as I'm not a psychologist, but it doesn't seem impossible. Then it also occurred to me at some point... There's almost no recoil when firing blanks vs with live ammunition. This makes it quite obvious which gun was loaded defeating the entire purpose of a "conscience round."

[@benardman2665]

I always thought it was everyone but one solider used a blank? (EQ) 5 live rounds, 1 blank. So if any individual becomes emotionally distressed afterwards, a solider can convince himself over time he was one with the blank

[@huntclanhunt9697]

If I was part of the Firing Squad, I think I'd rather know I did it and face my conscience than go on wondering my whole life if it was me.

[@Dean444ful]

Idk if you missed it but a big portion of the video is dedicated to him pointing out that you can tell the difference between a blank and a live round by the recoil i.e. you’d know if you killed someone or not. It was used so people would think beforehand that they might have a blank and be more willing to go for a kill shot

[@huntclanhunt9697]

@@Dean444ful I know. I'm just giving my opinion on why the initial myth he busted was a rather silly notion to me.

[@Dean444ful]

@@huntclanhunt9697 ah gotcha

[@KingdomOfApple]

I adore your content, Brandon. You are so very genuine. I get heavy Lindybeige vibes, which, as I'm sure you're aware, is far from a criticism.; you're just simply someone who loves to talk about, what they're talking about. So much passion...

[@Yamezzzz]

Why is an American wearing a poppy? I never realised how weird it was until I saw it.

[@BennettParsons1]

*Thinking “I probably have a blank” so you aim at the guys thigh.* “Guess the guy who had the bullet was aiming his gun at the same spot because the guy is on the ground screaming! Wait, what if I did have the bullet?! I was going to be the one killing him?!”

[@enigmatruecrime]

Interesting. However, if you had never shot a blank round, how would you tell the difference? Just a thought. Great video as usual!

[@coltonregal1797]

To emphasize your point about how stubbornly men cling to their lives. One of Poncho Villa's men survived being shot by a ten man firing squad AND a coup de grace headshot from the officer in charge. The song "El Fusilado" was written about the story.

[@henrswalt4908]

My understanding is (having studied the death penalty procedures in school) is that the firing squad is supposed to hold the function of the ‘conscience round’ the idea being that the execution is carried out at close enough range for only one good shot to do the job, so by adding more executioners no one knows who’s shot killed, so if there are four executioners one will kill the other three will shoot a dead body. Furthermore in the US where death by marksman is carried out they go a step further and obscure the site of the executioners. I think in Nevada they essentially shoot through a letterbox in the wall

[@hektik2074]

Blanks not only sound different but have a lot less recoil. That information, coupled with the fact that they’d most likely use actually trained people for that, they’d know if theyre firing a blank.

[@grishamayatsky5163]

If you did it today, you would need to give the guys a bolt action rifle that they ideally have little to no experience firing. A troop used to 5.56 firing a 30-06 for the first time ever is more likely to not know the expected recoil.

[@Silver-ef7jm]

Imagine how much it would suck to have a squid during the blind test

[@sirrliv]

You briefly touched on the point towards the end, but it was my understanding that most firing squads would have only one conscience round and two or more live rounds to make doubly sure of a killing shot.

[@BamBamBigelow..]

This is one of your finest videos yet, questions answered with live demonstration, bravo 👏

[@DarthSidian]

First aid kits and learning about conscience rounds? Hell yeah

[@simonyip5978]

After firing at the condemned man, the firing squad would always know that they had fired a live or a blank round, it just allowed the troops to find it in themselves to actually fire. Useful before firing, useless after firing.

[@Eralen00]

On the topic of firing squads, the governor of south carolina just signed a bill that will require inmates on death row to choose their method of execution between firing squad and electric chair. Most of the manufacturers of the lethal injection drugs used by US prisons are based in Europe, but they have stopped manufacturing these drugs due to ethical objections of the death penalty. The last time a firing squad was used to execute a US prisoner was in 2010

[@gavink.2479]

yes giving someone a conscience round is cruel necessary though by the way from your area i think Ive seen you at a grocery store before may be mistaken

[@Vampire123411]

This reminded me of an Tales from the crypt episode titled "Yellow".

[@EPWillard]

In the first chapter of from "notes from a war correspondent" by richard harding davis where they describe the execution of a revolutionary by firing squad. He describes that they were just about to fire and the rifles had made a small clicking noise and then they realized their firing line had been hastily set up and the officer had to reposition the man about to be shot and he specifically mentions how terrible it must have felt to hear the click that indicates you're about to die and then feeling a hand touch you. I think it illustrates the feeling of dread anticipation you mentioned.

[@kinggeorgeiii7515]

Another great, and interesting video. I enjoyed it thoroughly as I expected I would. -Napoleon Bonaparte, June 17th, 1815

[@abdullahchhab2325]

I love your videos. Greetings from a Syrian in Azerbaijan!

[@jacobiehartie4602]

Meanwhile Danny devito loading his guns with live rounds: “So anyway I started blasting!”

[@The_Viscount]

It occurs to me. With face tracking camera tech, it should be incredibly easy to automate a firing squad...

[@Ras_al_Gore]

Interesting study, i’m very into guns and know the difference between a blank and a live round, and knew about the “conscience round” as well, but I never put two and two together that it wouldn’t really work that way.

[@Hazleton1376]

1:13 you undersell what that man did, man was a battlefield necromancer

[@Demospammer9987]

I think that second round in the enfield test was live and not blank, I noticed a bit more recoil when compared to #1 and #3

[@jamieslingsby9907]

It felt the same to me, the 2nd round looked a lot more likely to be the live round then any of the others but then as we saw, all three were blanks.

[@ride0RgetR0DE0n]

I’m in the military and have shot lots of blanks and live round. You can tell the difference a blank sounds and feels different so you’d know if you shot a live or blank

[@jacobackley502]

I believe firing squad is still on the books as a method of execution on Utah. The method is a series of Winchester 94 rifles loaded with the now obsolete Silvertip round. The rifles are hard mounted, so no recoil is felt. So even if there is a blank, you couldn't tell either way. Not to mention, blanks are not harmless. Many people have died to blanks as people assumed they were harmless and shot themselves or friends.

[@Kaadilac]

Damm this lighting making it look like a halloween episode

[@user-tk5fi1my5i]

In Utah where I live, people on death row can choose to be executed by firing squad. What I've read says that there's 4 shooters and 3 have live rounds and only one has a blank.

[@sliceofbread2611]

i have the feeling that the firing squad members from Blackadder would be disappointed to learn that they where the one who didn't fire the fatal round...

[@gdolson9419]

People have an amazing capacity to convince themselves of whatever they'd like to believe. So the "Conscience Round" could work.

[@airsoftarmy77]

I hope I’m not too late, but seriously guys medical supplies is the Best thing to Buy rn. Even if you don’t know how to use it, someone near you might be able to.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

Want to hear a real firing squad story, from a man who participated in one? In 1917 a book was publsihed here in the US called "Over The Top." It was written by Arthur Guy Empey, an American who went to Britain in 1915 and enlisted in the British Army. Guy wanted a little pay-back for the "Lusitania" and ran out of patience when the United States didn't react. Anyway, during his time in the British Army he was called for a firing squad detail. I'll quote from the book directly and let Guy tell the story himself. A few days later I had orders to report back to Divisional Headquarters, about thirty kilos behind the line. I reported to the A.P.M. (Assistant Provost Marshal). He told me to report to billet No. 78 for quarters and rations. It was about eight o'clock at night and I was tired and soon fell asleep in the straw of the billet. It was a miserable night outside, cold, and a drizzly rain was falling. About two in the morning I was awakened by someone shaking me by the shoulder. Opening my eyes I saw a Regimental Sergeant-Major bending over me. He had a lighted lantern in his right hand. I started to ask him what was the matter, when he put his finger to his lips for silence and whispered: "Get on your equipment and without any noise, come with me." This greatly mystified me, but I obeyed his order. Outside the billet I asked him what was up, but he shut me up with: "Don't ask any questions, it's against orders. I don't know myself." It was raining like the mischief. We splashed along a muddy road for about fifteen minutes, finally stopping at the entrance of what must have been an old barn. In front of the door stood an officer in a mack (mackintosh.) The R.S.M. went up to him, whispered something, and then left. This officer called to me, asked my name, number and regiment, at the same time in the light of the lantern he was holding making a notation in a little book. When he finished writing, he whispered: "Go into that billet and wait orders, and no talking. Understand?" I stumbled into the barn and sat on the floor in the darkness. I could see no one, but could hear men breathing and moving; they seemed nervous and restless, I know I was. During my wait three other men entered. Then the officer poked his head in the door and ordered: "Fall in, outside the billet, in single rank." We fell in, standing at ease. Then he commanded: "Squad-'Shun! Number!" There were twelve of us. "Right - Turn! Left-Wheel! Quick-March!" And away we went. With the officer leading we must have marched over an hour, plowing through the mud and occasionally stumbling into a shell hole in the road, when suddenly the officer made a left wheel, and we found ourselves in a sort of an enclosed courtyard. The dawn was breaking and the rain had ceased. In front of us were four stacks of rifles, three to a stack. The officer brought us to attention and gave the order to unpile arms. We each took a rifle. Giving us a "Stand at ease, in a nervous and shaky voice in informed: "Men, you are here on a very solemn duty. You have been selected as a firing squad for the execution of a soldier who, having been found guilty of a grievous crime against King and Country, has been regularly and duly tried to be shot at 3:28 A.M. this date. This sentence has been approved by the reviewing authority and ordered carried out. It is our duty to carry on with the sentence of the court. "There are twelve rifles, one of which contains a blank cartridge, the other eleven containing ball cartridges. Every man is expected to do his duty and shoor to kill. Take your orders from me. Squad-'Shun!" We came to attention. The he left. My heart was of lead and my knees shook. After standing at "Attention" for what seemed like a week, although in reality it could have been over five minutes, we heard a low whispering in our rear and footsteps on the stone flagging of the courtyard. Our officer reappeared and in a low, but firm voice, ordered: "About-Turn!" We turned about. In the gray light of dawn, a few yards in front of me, I could make out a brick wall. Against this wall was a dark form with a white square pinned on its breast. We were supposed to aim at this square. To the right of the form I noticed a white spot on the wall. This would be my target. "Ready! Aim! Fire!" The dark form sank into a huddled heap. My bullet sped in its way and hit the whitish spot on the wall; I could see the splinters fly. Someone else had received the rifle containing the blank cartridge, but my mind was a t ease, there was no blood of a Tommy on my hands. "Order-Arms! About-Turn! Pile-Arms! Stand-Clear!" The stacks were re-formed. "Quick-March! Right-Wheel!" and we left the scene of execution behind us. It was now daylight. After marching about five minutes we were dismissed with the following instructions from the officer in command: "Return alone to your respective companies, and remember , no talking about this affair, or else it will go hard with the guilty ones." We needed no urging to get away. I did not recognize any of the men on the firing squad, even the officer was a stranger to me. (Finish) Well folks, isn't that something?

[@stevekaczynski3793]

The American squad that shot Eddie Slovik were supposedly picked marksmen and they dispensed with the usual white cloth over the heart as a target. The resulting eight-inch group would have disgraced rookies, according to one account of the execution, and one bullet missed Slovik's torso altogether and hit him in the left arm. Not one round hit his heart and he was technically alive although unconscious. The squad reloaded to fire again but then Slovik was declared dead. One of the shooters apparently had a blank round.

[@darkhope97]

There could be a point on the fact that they could be used because the in squad morale (in case it's like a front line squad ) when you are shooting a comrade who deserted (but he was still your friend) the blank rounds could be for group because when you are shooting you are not looking at the men on your sides

[@melbeasley9762]

It's not necessarily to ease conscience, but if you don't know if your rifle is loaded with a blank or live round beforehand, you are more likely to fire, in the hope you have a blank round. As far as I can remember, one rifle is loaded with a blank. I came across the regulations for a fireing squad when I was in the TA as an MP. MP's had to attend firing squads but I can't remember what their duties were now.

[@kylevolbrecht9255]

The point of the conscience round is to provide reasonable doubt for a court. Firing details properly carried out are designed to give reasonable doubt as to who killed the condemned if it might be found to be a wrongful execution. The soldiers might know, but a court would not know who fired the lethal shot. That is also why a senior officer is expected to administer a coup de grace. If he does, all blame can be placed on him at the least, rather than his unit. That is also why dictators don't use blanks in firing squads. They want all of their soldiers compllicit to make them more fanatical. The conscience round is a reasonable legal defence against a murder charge.

[@TheIfifi]

True, I always assumed that legality would be the main point, the 'conscience' is just a bonus. Also, I do believe the that the reason the officer is to deliver the coup dé grace, not the sergeant as Brandon said, is because he is in fact an officer. He is commissioned directly by the government/monarch. Which means that he represents the country and not an individual.

[@bloodyhell8201]

If it's found to be a wrongful execution they'd cover it up lel

[@TheIfifi]

@@bloodyhell8201 That really is only fair, not like the troopers have any say in any of this.

[@bloodyhell8201]

@@TheIfifi plus it saves face 'oops, no biscari massacre here trust me' - General George S. Patton

[@TheIfifi]

@@bloodyhell8201 uhm? Dont see the correlation..

[@Marinealver]

So many pop references, from Black Adder to Monty Python, but my favorite the Dawn of War (1) Commissar. "If you will not serve in combat, then you will serve on the firing line!"

[@benjamingrist6539]

During the French and Indian War, the proper way to execute deserters was by firing squad. However, when George Washington caught two deserters, he ordered them to be hanged. In a letter to his superiors, he explained that this was because he found the men under his command were much more afraid of death by noose than by a firing squad. So, making an example of the deserters by hanging them made the men under his command think twice about running off.

[@degsie6]

My Father took part in a (British) firing squad during WWII and from what I recall of him recounting the event he was indeed told that one of the rifles contained a blank round. He said that the rifles were placed on the ground laid out on blankets ready for the firing party to march in and take up position and then do the deed. It makes sense that the presence of the blank could only be of any use pre firing so that at every participant could hope to have it or at least claim to have had it after the fact. I understand that firing squad executions were a much rarer occurrence than in WWI and as I recall this was an execution for murder not cowardice.

[@TalabAlSahra]

The idea of a “conscious round” I always heard was that it was one of the rounds out of a firing squad was the blank. All the other rifles were loaded which ensured the death, but one was blank. Not all but one were blank.

[@cropathfinder]

really good breakdown, i actually heard the same explanation before of it being 4 before the fact to make it easier to pull the trigger but yea also was told that there never was just "1 live round" and it was more like 50% mix of live and blank

[@mrkeego1769]

I feel very threatened that my name on the list of Patrons came when you held up a bullet to the camera

[@d.o.p.echart9483]

I hope that was sarcasm.

[@mrkeego1769]

@@d.o.p.echart9483 very clearly a joke, yes

[@DarthWillSmith]

Favorite method of execution? Unironically yes. Bring them back.

[@flyboymike111357]

Wax bullets can be used to make a more convincing conscience round. I've even heard tale of wad-cutters being called blanks and used as conscience rounds. In modern times, rubber, plastic, or even paint bullets can be used to make a person doubt whether or not the had a live round.

[@captainkanji1]

The usual blanks we used in training had a very different recoil than real rounds.

[@thebadgerman1211]

Thank you very interesting. I have been to the national arboretum in the UK. It's in the county where I live I have seen with shot at dawn memorial and I will always remember the firing squad episode of our world war both of them were thought-provoking and moved me to cry. Thank you for this amazing and informative video I love your work.

[@BongoBaggins]

I can imagine Lindybeige tolerating your presence in a small English tavern for a very interesting and lively evening

[@marcusborderlands6177]

If only Lindy did a little bit of research before making certain videos. His "spandau vs bren" video haunts me to this day...

[@robloxmaker50]

Being a civil war reenactor and being lucky enough to witness then do a firing squad stunt whatever you wish to call it, the officer in charge claimed that at the very least one musket/rifle (as we had some rev war muskets in that group at the time) would not be loaded with ball the rest would be loaded with ball. Seeing as i have yet to fire my rifle with musket ball is there a visual diffrence between with ball and not? The reason i ask is due to for me being a weakling any amount of powder that will result in actually firing causes recoil to an extent that it looks like i may have fired a round.

[@Duke_of_Lorraine]

Plot twist, it was actually to use one fewer bullet. There is no small saving !

[@Nerobyrne]

To quote Hilary Mantel: "Why would an executioner wear a mask? Everyone knew who he was." Although this referred to medieval executioners, who were usually dedicated individuals, quite often the knacker, as this was also a job which caused a lot of disdain and required you to live away from general society. But it's not like the people witnessing the executions wouldn't know who the shooters were.

[@glennchartrand5411]

In the Army blanks used in executions have a weighted wax plug, so they have the same kickback. They push a wax bullet into the chamber and then load the blank behind it. Its why the weapon has to be handed to the person already loaded, the person with the blank won't be able to chamber the round the normal way since the cartridge needs to be pressed into the back of the wax bullet and that takes a noticeable amount of force. So nobody in the firing squad actually knows who had the blank and the loader can't be called to testify which rifle had the blank. The whole reason this was done in the Army was to protect the soldiers in the firing squad from criminal charges if they all miss ,which forces an officer to carry out the execution with his sidearm. They can all claim that they aimed for the heart but must have had the blank, and the Army has no way to verify if they had a live round or not. This "legal defense" made it easier to get volunteers even though it wasn't entirely voluntary since if nobody stepped forward they would all be charged with mutiny.

[@deadmeat1471]

I never thought it was intended to make someone 'not know' if they fired the shot after the fact, my assumption was that given that 10 people were firing its unlikely they have the bullet, so makes them more willing to shoot a fellow human against the wall because they probably dont have the bullet anyway.

[@deadmeat1471]

Oh right, should have waited to the end of the video....

[@jamesr9227]

If you read Foucault's "Discipline and Punish," I think you may take a different view of the "professionalism." The advent of new punishments and executions are really there just for the executioner, not the condemned. It is to make the execution more palpable to the public, and thus allow for greater leverage of the executioner over the public.

[@k0vert]

Excellent production, sir. Keep up the awesome work!

[@astridvallati4762]

The Blank round story is a complete Furphy. ( Aussie for Scuttlebutt) Blanks ( no bullet) are so distinctive in construction ( no bullet, rose crimped mouth, card wadded mouth, paper bullet, wood bullet, etc.) Very obvious when ejecting fired case.... Also recoil is non-existent with blanks ( as mentioned) In any case, the Firing squad commander would administer the "coup de grace" to the Prisoner's head with a Service Pistol , irrespective of the effect of the Firing squad shots.

[@omarrp14]

When I was a kid I was told that either only one person fired a blank or it was random with at least 2-3 live rounds