[rawgabbit]

If you did not know civilians were present, it is very unlikely you will be charged under the UCMJ. Here is an article from Human Rights Watch about the lack of consequences https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/25/lost-innocents.

With regards to movies, remember prior to the modern era many soldiers and seaman were forced to serve against their will. Discipline was brutal. In the British American War of 1812, one of the reasons for war was the forced impressment of American sailors into the British Navy. British Admiral Horatio Nelson acknowledged the critical role of impressment in maintaining the British Navy’s manpower. In 1803, he reported that over 42,000 sailors had deserted since 1793, highlighting the challenges of crew retention. He stated, “Without a press, I have no idea how our Fleet can be manned.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/impressment.htm

It was Prussia’s Moltke the Elder who recognized the complexity of modern war and the need for officers to think independently. “Subordinates would have to use initiative and independent judgment for the forces to be effective in battle. Campaign and battle plans should encourage and take advantage of the decentralization that would be necessary in any case. In this new concept, commanders of distant detachments were required to exercise initiative in their decision-making and Moltke emphasized the benefits of developing officers who could do this within the limits of the senior commander's intent.”. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmuth_von_Moltke_the_Elder

With all that said, it all comes down to personal conscience. Of deciding what is right and wrong.