# Disobeying a direct order in combat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2011, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disobeying-a-direct-order-in-combat/589236 "2011-07-16T12:38:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chickenwrangler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chickenwrangler/32/91_2.png) [@Chickenwrangler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chickenwrangler)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disobeying-a-direct-order-in-combat/589236/21 "2011-07-17T09:44:07Z")
(2) shamefully abandons, **surrenders,** or delivers up any command, unit, place, or military property which it is his duty to defend; Does that mean a soldier in a hopeless situation would be subject to court martial if he surrenderd? I’m thinking of ragged half staved guys emerging from the rubble as the victorious enemy approaches waving ragged white flags, surely surrender is the only option logical option. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disobeying-a-direct-order-in-combat/589236/22 "2011-07-17T11:00:11Z")
> [@Chickenwrangler](#): > > (2) shamefully abandons, **surrenders,** or delivers up any command, unit, place, or military property which it is his duty to defend; > > Does that mean a soldier in a hopeless situation would be subject to court martial if he surrenderd? > > I’m thinking of ragged half staved guys emerging from the rubble as the victorious enemy approaches waving ragged white flags, surely surrender is the only option logical option. 😕 Official doctrine of the U.S. military is it is never acceptable to surrender your command. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disobeying-a-direct-order-in-combat/589236/23 "2011-07-17T11:08:14Z")
From the U.S. military Code of Conduct (a Presidential Executive Order applying to the military): > [@](#): > > **Code of Conduct for Members of the United States Armed Forces** > > **I** \*\*. I\*\* am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense. > [Article I amended by EO 12633 of Mar. 28, 1988, 53 FR 10355, 3 CFR, 1988 Comp., p. 561] > > **II. I** will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist. > [Article II amended by EO 12633 of Mar. 28, 1988, 53 FR 10355, 3 CFR, 1988 Comp., p. 561] > > \*\*III. \*\*If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy. > > **IV**. If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way. > > **V**. When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause. > [Article V amended by EO 12017 of Nov. 3, 1977, 42 FR 57941, 3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 152] > > **VI**. I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America. Individual soldiers would not be held in low regard for surrendering to the enemy, no one wants to second guess whether or not they truly had the ability to continue resisting at the moment. Even officers in hopeless situations have often received some degree of criticism for surrendering their command. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disobeying-a-direct-order-in-combat/589236/24 "2011-07-17T14:29:36Z")
> [@Chickenwrangler](#): > > (2) shamefully abandons, **surrenders,** or delivers up any command, unit, place, or military property which it is his duty to defend; > > Does that mean a soldier in a hopeless situation would be subject to court martial if he surrenderd? > > I’m thinking of ragged half staved guys emerging from the rubble as the victorious enemy approaches waving ragged white flags, surely surrender is the only option logical option. 😕 “Surrender” is here a transitive verb, running in parallel with “abandon”: and “deliver up.” The clause prohibits any giving over to the enemy of any persons, places, or things that the soldier in question has a duty to defend. It does not say one may never surrender, or may never retreat (that was, of course, Hitler’s stupid doctrine). It instead places the onus of duty on the soldier, requiring him to gauge accurately whether he has a duty to defend a given place. The metaphorical expression “Choose your battles wisely; decide whether this is the hill you wish to die defending” has a literal meaning as well. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disobeying-a-direct-order-in-combat/589236/25 "2011-07-17T22:21:59Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Individual soldiers would not be held in low regard for surrendering to the enemy, no one wants to second guess whether or not they truly had the ability to continue resisting at the moment. Even officers in hopeless situations have often received some degree of criticism for surrendering their command. It may be of historical interest to note that Gen Jonathan Wainwright, who surrendered his command to the Japanese at Corregidor, was given a promotion, a ticker-tape parade, and the Medal of Honor after being released from Japanese captivity. At the time he surrendered, his men had not lost the ability to resist, although it clearly would have taken rescue from outside to save them. I am not implying any criticism of his actions, or the decision to reward them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disobeying-a-direct-order-in-combat/589236.md?page=1)