# Heel Clicking Soldiers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 20, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939 "2006-12-20T17:29:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/1 "2006-12-20T17:29:07Z")
How and why did this come about?. Does it mean anything significant? I realise that not all military personnel do it but some do. Also: What is the reason for the Goose Step. At best it seems to be very awkward ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/2 "2006-12-20T17:43:15Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] Also: What is the reason for the Goose Step. At best it seems to be very awkward [/QUOTE] Yes . . . as with juggling, [the point is to show you can do it:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_step) > [@](#): > > Der Stechschritt [1], commonly known in English speaking countries as “the Goose-Step”, is a special form of the equal step, which is usually demonstrated in solemn military parades and passes in review of closed units. The marching troops swing their legs from a vertical leg to a nearly horizontally-extending one, bringing it down with a loud simultaneous stepping noise and continuing the cycle in unison. It emerged from Prussian drilling regulation during the early 19th Century. > > This takes much practice and dexterity, and so the purpose of the goose-step is the demonstration of absolute discipline and superiority. Some, such as George Orwell, feel that the goose-step is also intended to look ridiculous, as Orwell said in his 1940 book The Lion and the Unicorn: > > ``` > [Goose-Stepping] is simply an affirmation of naked power; contained in it, quite consciously and intentionally, is the vision of a boot crashing down on a face. Its ugliness is part of its essence, for what it is saying is "Yes, I am ugly, and you daren't laugh at me", like the bully who makes faces at his victim… Beyond a certain point, military display is only possible in countries where the common people dare not laugh at the army. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/3 "2006-12-20T20:31:06Z")
I’m not sure what you mean by heel clicking soldiers, but a lot of soldiers put heel taps on their boots/shoes for marching in formation, and I think that drill sargeants put taps on their boots as well. For the soldiers, I’d guess that it emphasises the precision and discipline of their drill. The DIs do it because it gets attention in a hurry. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/4 "2006-12-20T21:25:20Z")
Heel-clicking happens more or less automatically when you get to attention. In ranks, the sound of an entire platoon coming to attention as one signifies a well-drilled unit. Like snappy salutes or well-executed present-arms, it’s a traditional military skill. (Alternately, the sound may be that of a sack of potatoes being upended on a tin roof. That signifies a unit that’ll forgo the next meal for extra drill practice. But I digress…) In other situautions, it can simply be part of military etiquette - it’s a discreet and respectful way for a lower-ranking soldier to announce his presence. If a driver is dispatched to pickup a colonel and finds said colonel in conversation with other officers, it’s considered correct to enter the room and come to attention with a (discreet) heel click. This is the military equivalent of discreetly clearing one’s throat. The officer can interrupt his conversation or not, as he chooses. A third reason is the ever-popular “It’s by the book, and in this regiment we do things by the book unless instructed otherwise, so do not even think of bothering to inform me what you may think, feel or believe on the matter of heel-clicking until asked directly - IS THAT CLEAR, SOLDIER?” - always a popular line of reasoning in the military system. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/5 "2006-12-20T22:00:20Z")
Are you referring to the (Prussian?) tradition of rapping (usually with a single rap) the heels of the shoe to the other foot? (Start while standing at attention, heels together, toes apart at approximately 45 degrees. Pivoting on the toe of one or both feet, rotate the foot (feet) until the heels are approximately 2 or 3 inches apart, and then return to the position of attention smartly, producing an audible noise from the heels coming together. Usually accompanied with a hand or rifle salute.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/6 "2006-12-20T22:06:20Z")
The heel clicking is ceremonial. I suspect it evolved because it proves that you are bringing your feet together precisely, and it has that sense of style and snap that the military likes. I noticed at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington VA, the Honor Guard had special metal plates on the insides of each heel, so that the clicking of the heels would be audible and obvious. It’s light-years from Goose-Stepping, which looks not only awkward, but downright unhealthy. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/7 "2006-12-20T22:10:21Z")
The OP was asking two questions. I was seeking clarification on the first… ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/8 "2006-12-20T22:32:57Z")
If I may take a crack and speculate: For military ceremony: Full time, professional, nationalised military units pride themselves on being better trained professionals (instead of a bunch of conscripted peasant-militia, or worse, mercenaries), and (hopefully) more dedicated “to the cause”. A lot of military tradition (parade marching, uniform inspections, rifle drill, heel taps and heel snapping, etc.) comes from this desire to stand out from the mediocre, or untrained. When succesful, the military member gets a morale boost, and is more willing to endure the hardships that militia levees may not. As far as goose stepping, specifically, goes: I have to agree it has a slightly more “aggressive” feeling to it. But that may be because of the video images of the cold war and fascists that I have watched over the years… ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2006, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/9 "2006-12-20T22:44:56Z")
[QUOTE=mlees] Are you referring to the (Prussian?) tradition of rapping (usually with a single rap) the heels of the shoe to the other foot? [/QUOTE] It’s the sound your feet make if you utter the words, _“Jawohl, mein Fuhrer!”_. Try it, you just can’t say that without clicking your heels. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/10 "2006-12-21T08:29:20Z")
[QUOTE=mlees] Are you referring to the (Prussian?) tradition of rapping (usually with a single rap) the heels of the shoe to the other foot? (Start while standing at attention, heels together, toes apart at approximately 45 degrees. Pivoting on the toe of one or both feet, rotate the foot (feet) until the heels are approximately 2 or 3 inches apart, and then return to the position of attention smartly, producing an audible noise from the heels coming together. Usually accompanied with a hand or rifle salute.) [/QUOTE] Yes, this is what I meant, …Mein Fuhrer 😛 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/11 "2006-12-21T23:34:57Z")
The “Prussian” heel-click referred is an exageration-for-effect of the normal effect of coming to attention in boots with old-style hard leather/wood heels. FWIW, other armies have their own exaggerated drill motions (the wide arm swings used in ceremonial drill in some Brit-tradition armies come to mind) . I’ve watched video of the Peruvian Presidential Guard doing a rather (IMO) spastic pseudo-goosestep. American drill & ceremony manuals are quite restrained in the use of exaggerated stomping/swinging motions, preferring to emphasize precision. The “snap” is supposed to come naturally from the contact of the materials involved upon meeting “smartly” at the end of the motion. (Rifle drill teams, of course. get extra SFX from slapping the hardware around.) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/12 "2006-12-22T17:13:45Z")
A good heel-click is best followed by the general marking your orders with the rubber stamp that says, “FIND HIM AND KILL HIM.” ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heel-clicking-soldiers/384939/13 "2006-12-22T18:08:33Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s the sound your feet make if you utter the words, “Jawohl, mein Fuhrer!”. Try it, you just can’t say that without clicking your heels. Hehe. This may draw stares in the office…