During WW2, how exactly was it handled when soldiers of one nation were temporarily working under the direction of another nation’s forces? Hypothetical example: a US infantryman gets separated from his unit. He meets up with a British unit and for a time they are cut off by enemy forces and have to fight together. How does a US soldier take orders from a British officer? Does the alliance have standing orders regarding such a thing? Does the US soldier count as a temporary volunteer? Does the British officer have to phrase his orders as polite requests, since the US soldier is under no strict obligation to obey him?
The officer could order the American about. In combat operations, great authority is granted to the officer on the field. He is in charge until relieved. By the time of WWII, the idea of taking orders from an Ally was fairly well-established. (WWI set a president. Did I spell that right?)
Units as small as companies were cross-attached by the last months of the war.
All the Western allies in Europe were under the command of Gen. Eisenhower, not just the Americans. The other nations’ forces still had to obey. It wasn’t a big deal since they were working to a common strategy thrashed out by the political and military leaders of all the Allied countries.
It still happens to this day (albeit not in the exact situation described). Several of the offices at Bagram were led by Aussies or Brits, with Americans serving on the staff. At some point in the future, I expect to be in that situation too.
You respect the rank and the office, not just the person. Y’all are there for the same objective purpose, so it really doesn’t matter what country the person is from. Ya just git it done.
Tripler
Just my two cents.
Precedent.