Quote:
Originally Posted by Schroeder
@BBY
Thanks, but my frustration was more with this uninformative term itself and it's wide spread use in the English language.  |
It's an interesting point, and one I've struggled with for several years now. I have always thought of "casualties" in terms of death and injury, but it seems that the common usage refers to any combatant removed from service. A dead man is a casualty. A wounded man is a casualty. A man who deserted is a casualty. A man who got temporarily lost is a casualty.
Anyone not available for even a day due to a battle is a "casualty".
This has been especially interesting in the recording of the Air War. I've discovered many days in which several pilots on one side recording shooting down planes on the other side, but the other side's report reads "Casualties - nil". If the plane has engine damage but lands on its own side of the lines with the crew unhurt, it's not a casualty, at least to them.
How do you reconcile it? I don't know.