The development of the code of honorable surrender in Europe helped prevent the worst atrocities during times of war, as seen in the story of Peter Thompson. Despite cultural uniqueness in duty and loyalty, soldiers are often expected to behave a certain way in extreme situations with limited options.
The American forces sent to defend the beaches in the Philippines during World War II were ill-equipped to face the veteran Japanese landing forces. With a limited amount of troops and supplies, they were left to be under siege by the Japanese, which ultimately forced them to continually retreat to keep from being surrounded and destroyed.