He was like a poker player who tried to game the system, he bluffed, they called and he lost. He could have tried to be a Conscientious Objector or if he knew he was a coward he should have told them in training he was a coward and would not fire a rifle under any circumstance. He got all the way to the front line and then tried to get out of his duty. That is where he made his mistake. Refusing to do his duty would have saved him but to get to a point and then run away was desertion. Someone had to be made an example of. He drew the short straw and lost.
Review of The Execution of Private Slovik
