Re: Why we fight (there was an old B&W movie by that name IIRC)

--- Richard and Emily Bell <rlbell@sympatico.ca>
wrote:


> Soldiers fight because that is what their training
> tells them to do.  They will continue to fight until
> the results of applying their training apparently 
> fail.  

As a side note, has anyone he read Men Against Fire? 
The point is made very cogently that men fight because
of the team effect.

> If they cannot run away and are not given time to 
> think, they will keep applying their training until
> they are dead.  

Maybe it's just because I do more than load and fire
in a mechanistic sequence, but I do think in the
simulated firefights I've been in.  Of course,
everyone since the Civil War has been doing more than
loading and firing mechanically.  The question is,
"What are you thinking about."	Thinking "Where's
something I can hide behind while I shoot this guy" is
good.  Thinking "What's the fastest way out of here?"
is bad.

> Esprit de corps and regimental history (plus a good
> dose of in-your-face noncoms) get them
> to the fight and blind panic will keep them there,
> but only so long as they
> do not realise that following orders is not likely
> to keep them alive.

Eh?  What universe is this in?	Following good orders
is the ONLY thing that keeps you alive in a firefight.
 Units that fall apart get wiped out--casualties are
always highest in the pursuit of a broken enemy.

John

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