History Headscratchers / Mash

**** Actually, the legality of the munitions dump never comes up, and it was put there because placing it near a non-combatant base would mean it could not be bombed without also bombing a protected unit under the Geneva Conventions, since it was only ''adjacent'' to the camp and in no way actually connected to the camp, not unlike the minefield that was periodically located almost on top of the camp. Charlie's status is also not never mentioned, but a civilian attacking an enemy military unit would consitute a guerilla, and therefore a legal enemy combatant. The camp's executive officer personally commanding an AA gun is an exaggeration, but it would have been perfectly legal for an independant squad to man a gun near the camp without stripping the camp of its non-combatant status, much like when a British platoon is put on patrol to flush out a sniper, and later (in that episode) an unmanned tank is placed in the compound to scare away the sniper (or in that vein, in the finale, when a tank is driven in by a wounded tanker, and draws enemy fire despite not being used - think the weapons check for a cmoparison), yet neither changes the camp's status.

**** Actually, the legality of the munitions dump never comes up, and it was put there because placing it near a non-combatant base would mean it could not be bombed without also bombing a protected unit under the Geneva Conventions, since it was only ''adjacent'' to the camp and in no way actually connected to the camp, not unlike the minefield that was periodically located almost on top of the camp. Charlie's status is also not never mentioned, but a civilian attacking an enemy military unit would consitute a guerilla, and therefore a legal enemy combatant. The camp's executive officer personally commanding an AA gun is an exaggeration, but it would have been perfectly legal for an independant squad to man a gun near the camp with stripping the camp of its non-combatant status, much like when a British platoon is put on patrol to flush out a sniper, and later (in that episode) an unmanned tank is placed in the compound to scare away the sniper (or in that vein, in the finale, when a tank is driven in by a wounded tanker, and draws enemy fire despite not being used - think the weapons check for a cmoparison), yet neither changes the camp's status.

** Could be a form of FridgeBrilliance, since the show was set in The1950s, when even your more liberal types would have less enlightened attitudes towards women and the concept of sexual harassment barely existed.

*** Kind of supports the communist sympathyser theory. The howitzer can no longer be used to kill communist soldiers, yet still puts American lives at risk by being in a non-combat unit.

** I always saw it as Margaret knew that Radar was going through her underwear, but took it as a boy with a harmless crush on her, since a career Major in the medical field would likely be in her mid to late 30s, while a drafted farmboy from Iowa was likely to only be 20 at the most. She was taking the chance to rib him about it and let him knew that he wasn't as slick as he thought he was.

** The visiting general mentions that the munitions dump is ''barely'' legal under international law, and that it was put there to keep the ammo safe from being attacked, since the hospital is a non-target. Since it was getting the hospital attacked (legitimately, since the ammo dump stripped the hospital of its non-combatant status), Hawkeye took steps to protect the patients. Also, Charlie wasn't an enemy plane; he was a civilian vigilante who was targeting only the munitions, but kept hitting the camp instead.

** Speaking of Klinger, can anyone explain why the hell a he was given a tent all to himself while captains and majors were sharing quarters in the Swamp?

* Margaret's accusatory tone, Radar's sheepish delivery of the last line, and Potter's eye-rolling distinct discomfort at the whole conversation seem to imply that it is ''Radar'' that has been trying on the undies. Could it be that Klinger is not the ''only'' crossdresser in camp? (Of course, it wouldn't be unthinkable, as many boys and young men at some point will try on some femme finery out of mere curiosity, without necessarily becoming a full-fledged transvestite. But this is our beloved ''Radar'', and it seems just a little squicky...)
** Radar had an on-and-off relationship with innocence. at times, he'd be seen smoking a cigar. Sometimes, Hawkeye would mention how Radar looked at his nudie magazines. There were times when he discussed how he had put the hole in the shower tent so he could peep. Then, there would be other times when he seemed to be shocked that a man and a woman could share the same bath with their clothes off.

** In the episode where Hawkeye wins a Howitzer in a poker game. Potter tells him he has to move it out of the camp. Hawkeye says it's his and he's going to find something to do with it. After Potter tells Hawkeye he's found an artillery unit that will take it, Potter lets Hawkeye do what he wants with it (sabotage it), which still doesn't get it out of the camp. And this is portrayed as being okay and the right thing to do.

*** There's also the question of how the camp had such a high survival rate if one of the four doctors was so incompetent. If Burns was really as bad as they claimed he was while being one of the camp's only doctors, they could not have had a 97% success rate.

*** Well, it was mostly for conflict, but in-universe, he mentions having taken ROTC in college. Unless I'm wrong about how ROTC, he could have been working in a VA hospital or something. Especially considering MASH's version of the army, he could have easily gotten promoted on zeal alone.

** Part of it's due to their skills, true. Far more likely is that, at least in the show's world, replacing two or three surgeons would have been quite the chore, and probably led to a number of otherwise-preventable casualties in the meantime. One of the its used scenarios used in the book, film AND [=TV=] show was to have Hawkeye and Trapper getting righteously busted for something, then the alarm for incoming casualties would sound. The guys look at each other, shrug, and say something along the lines of "Well, we don't really plan on working if we're under arrest".