“3. Therefore, the judicial authority will decide in such cases whether a disciplinary penalty is indicated, or whether legal proceedings are necessary. In the case of offenses against inhabitants it will order a court-martial only if maintenance of discipline or security of the forces call for such a measure. This applies, for instance, to serious offenses originating in lack of self-control in sexual matters or in a criminal disposition and to those which indicate that the troops are threatening to get out of hand. Offenses which have resulted in senseless destruction of billets or stores or other captured material, to the disadvantage of our forces, should as a rule be judged no less severely.
“The order to institute proceedings requires in every single case the signature of the judicial authority.
“4. Extreme caution is indicated in assessing the credibility of statements made by enemy civilians.
“III. Responsibility of military commanders of the troops. Within their sphere of competence military commanders are personally responsible for seeing that:
“1. Every commissioned officer of the units under their command is instructed promptly and in the most emphatic manner on principles set out under I, above.