what's "wrong" with this?

[Ned]

MarkG, The Roman Republic used decimation on whole units that failed to fight. I don't know how long this lasted into the Empire, when the Army became an professional force.

I think such tatics are used to inspire a conscript army.

[Dom Pedro II]

Is anybody really surprised by this? Armies have been doing it since the dawn of time (not necessarily with a gun). The Soviets set up machine gun nests to mow down their own troops if they tried to flee from the Germans during the Battle of Stalingrad.

Of course, the US army couldn't get away with that though (even if a number of the commanders wish they could). Although, our South Korean allies used this tactic quite a bit in the Korean War... It also works well for those who fought loyally but failed miserably due to incompetence.

God bless this wonderful little species!

[Ben Kenobi]

War of Yankee Aggression:

Interesting choice of terms, MtG

[Imran Siddiqui]

He a recovering Southerner .

[Traianvs]

Originally posted by Ned
MarkG, The Roman Republic used decimation on whole units that failed to fight. I don't know how long this lasted into the Empire, when the Army became an professional force.

I think such tatics are used to inspire a conscript army.

Yes the Romans employed decimation but often the unit (often the remains of a legion that has suffered a humiliating defeat) was simply dishonoured and banned to corsica or other unimportant locations

Also decimation didn't include the whole unit, if I recall correctly it was either half the unit, or one tenth that was killed, I'm not exactly sure anymore which...

Also, when the Aquilifer and Signifer (standard bearers) lost their standards, they were executed
And, during a night watch, when a soldier fell asleep he was executed as well!!

Harsh measures, but they served well as the Roman army was about the most disciplined and best organized force


Btw from what I've heard it's the regular Republican Guard that has death squadrons for deserters, the normal army doesn't have them as you would need a whole lot of death squadrons for such a big army!! Naturally the special republican guard doesn't need these squadrons as they are very loyal. That's what a deserted republican guard reported anyway. Another thing is that Iraqi troops often desert... With a death squadron they wouldn't do that so easily I would say

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Trajanus
Also decimation didn't include the whole unit, if I recall correctly it was either half the unit, or one tenth that was killed, I'm not exactly sure anymore which...

Deci = 1/10th.

[MarkG]

Is anybody really surprised by this?

newsmax is

[The Mad Monk]

Execution of a soldier is one thing...what about execution of the deserter's family, or execution of civilians that have been 'recruited' on the spot and refuse to fight?

[MarkG]

what about execution of the deserter's family, or execution of civilians that have been 'recruited' on the spot and refuse to fight?

now you're going off-topic. get your own thread!

[Timexwatch]

While we're on the subject, Mtg, what would be the likely penalty for the guy who fragged his own officers with the gernade in Kuwait? Does that warrant the death penaltY?

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
While we're on the subject, Mtg, what would be the likely penalty for the guy who fragged his own officers with the gernade in Kuwait?

Life would be the minimum. The death penalty is possible but it would have to be a unanimous decision.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
While we're on the subject, Mtg, what would be the likely penalty for the guy who fragged his own officers with the gernade in Kuwait? Does that warrant the death penaltY?

I would expect that because of the aggravating circumstances of the unit being deployed for combat, multiple homicide and intended additional multiple homicides, he'll get the death penalty, and no appeals court will work up a sweat over it.

[Az]

I never heard much about that case. Why did he do that?

[MichaeltheGreat]

Apparently, he was b*tched up because he felt that blacks were discriminated against in making rank in the Army. He'd run his mouth a couple of days before (he'd already had a rep as an attitute problem) and was not going to be deploying with the rest of his unit, which likely means he'd have latrine duty in the base camp.

It seems to have not occured to him that perhaps his own deficiencies as a soldier might be a factor in slow advancement?

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Trajanus


Also decimation didn't include the whole unit, if I recall correctly it was either half the unit, or one tenth that was killed, I'm not exactly sure anymore which...

Decimation means precisely one out of ten, but it is often used in the meaning of a huge loss, up to total destruction, as in : they have been totally decimated