Viewing the guard by visiting heads of state? Why??

It seems that whenever a head of state visits another country, the host country stages a “viewing of the guard” (or whatever it is called.) in which rows of soldiers stand about, and the visitor walks up and down their ranks.

What is the purpose of this? What are the origins of this practice?

Also, what is the purpose of the red carpet? What are the origins of that practice?

I would imagine it’s a custom between allies to demonstrate to the visiting dignitary that the host country is maintaining it’s military in good order and will be able to faithfully execute any treaty of shared support. I also suspect it’s largely ceremonial and more or less always has been.

Looking forward to seeing the responses from those more knowledgeable…

Every country always likes to show off the strength of their military. To friends, it shows that you can be a strong friend, and to enemies, it shows that you can be a dangerous enemy. Best of all, if you haven’t decided whether you’re friends or enemies with your guest, you can still show off, and let them figure it out.

The viewing of the ‘guard’ is a spin-off of allowing the visitor to see that the soldiers aren’t armed.
It’s also the source of the 21 gun salute. Guns use to take a LONG time to reload. The host would fire off all their guns so the visitor ‘knew’ they wouldn’t be fired at them anytime ‘soon’.

Isn’t this normally called “inspecting the troops”?

In some countries, the discipline of the military is just about the only thing they have that they can be proud of, so they show it off to visiting dignitaries.

It goes back a long way - certainly to the ancient Greeks. I think that the idea was that you parade your troops to show me that I would have a hard time beating you. It later morphed into the formal ceremonial you now see.

Partially it’s To Be Seen. An opportunity to be seen by the public doing Head of State things, and showing they are enjoying an aspect of the hospitality of the host nation.

It’s called “inspecting the guard of honour”.

A guard of honour is not provided exclusively to visiting dignataries. You’ll also see it at military and state funerals, at the weddings of military officers, at services commemorating the fallen, at national day celebrations, etc. It’s a long-established military tradition. I don’t think it has anything to do with ritually showing a visiting dignitary that the nation is armed and can defend itself; local dignitaries are given guards of honour too.

Inspecting the guard of honour is a ritual by which the person honoured acknowledges the honour done by mounting a guard, and shows appreciation for the honour.

None of these responses seems to be definitive.

The parading a hundred or so soldiers is not likely to be taken as an intimidating expression of power by the visitor; so that answer doesn’t seem to be right.

Parading them as a “Guard” doesn’t make a lot of sense either. Why would a visiting dignitary need a guard? Doesn’t this imply that he is in some danger and in need of protection from his hosts? Not a good look.

Also, how is parading a company of soldiers an “honor”?

And how does walking up and down the ranks serve any purpose in that context?

Maybe it is the opposite of these responses? Ie: maybe the visitor parades up and down in front of the assembled troops so that they see him, and if they ever run into him again, they will know not to kill him?

He doesn’t need it for protection; it’s provided as an honor.

Compare, e.g, the ceremony of mounting the guard at Buckingham Palace - lots of read coats, pageantry and marching around, and numbers of men vastly in excess of what is needed actually to staff the gates. It’s symbolic.

How is a disc of metal hanging from a ribbon an honour? How is a knighthood an honour? How is a university degree for which you never sat an exam an honour? How is a standing ovation an honour? Honours are symbolic; useless intrinisically, but established by convention as something that calls attention to the person or thing honoured.

It’s a symbolic acknowledgement of the fact that the guard has been mounted for you.

Well, if that were the case, wouldn’t we speak of the guard inspecting the dignitary? But, no, it’s definitely the dignitare who inspects the guard.

OK. I get that. Makes sense.

But, on the other hand, when a dignitary inspects the troops, watch their eyes. They are taking a good look at him. Dark alleyway… quick scuffle… !!

I’d call that poor discipline.

I know that soldiers used to be trained to be virtual automatons - eyes front and all that - but modern troops should be aware of their surroundings.

On parade? With a visiting dignitary? Colour me doubtful.