Eddie Slovik: The Only American Killed for Desertion in WWII

29/11/2025 10 min
Eddie Slovik: The Only American Killed for Desertion in WWII

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Episode Synopsis

In this gripping episode, we tell the haunting story of Private Eddie Slovik, the only American soldier executed for desertion during World War II among tens of thousands who fled the front lines. Terrified of combat and repeatedly honest about his refusal to fight, Slovik was court-martialed and shot by firing squad in January 1945 as General Eisenhower sought to set a brutal example amid the carnage of the Battle of the Bulge. Seventy-five years later, his case still sparks fierce debate: was Slovik a coward, a scapegoat, or a tragic victim of a broken system?   DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise  LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/ SPONSORED BY: https://www.podcastrepublic.net/get-it-now