Is it the job of front line troops to die?

Question

My grandfather, when I was a lad, used to tell me about his time in Burma (WW2) and how his unit was constantly in the thick of things, and that he saw many of his friends die; he, too, he told me, was quite prepared to die, that it was a 'soldier's job'.

Whilst obviously it isn't in any written contract, is this a part of the front-line miltary ethos? I realise things may have changed since WW2 but would be interested to know as I have no miltary experience myself.

Thanks!

Answer 1

no, it's to kill, but dying is an occupational hazard!

Answer 2

As no less than Gen. Geo. C. Patton told his troops, "I do not expect you to die for your country. I expect you to make the other son-of-a-***** die for HIS country." His words (or close to them, anyway).

And so, the "job" of the front-line soldier is to do whatever it takes to meet an objective, such as occupy or defend a hill or a town. And, if there happen to be enemy, that probably means you're going to have to kill people and blow stuff up.

Your g/f's comment, however, was not made from the point of view of a commander (who may never personally see the combat he's ordering people to engage), nor does it reflect the material in the Army "manual." It reflects, rather, the state of mind of the soldier who's about ready to encounter live rounds aimed at him or her. Of course, to meet the objective, someone is -probably a lot of people are -going to have to die. It is therefore part of your job.

I've spoken with dozens who have been in combat, and can report to you that many of them eventually reach a psychological plateau with this reality. The terror of anticipating the conflict, seeing comrades get shot to pieces, and the probability of being killed often melts into a sort of quiet peace in the final moments before you commit yourself to the fight.

Part of the ethos? Probably. But the ethos is entirely personal. It just happens to emerge in the conduct of military operations. About the most personal kind of inter-action there could ever be, whether you fight to kill -or to survive.

Answer 3

It is not their job to die. Just the opposite.
It is there job to follow orders and often times, those orders put their lives in very dangerous situations. Everything in the military is just a tool to protect(in the end) the grunt at the front line. He is the one taking the hill. Everything is geared toward him being able to take that hill. He can't do it dead. So, the military spends a lot of time and money to ensure he has the best possible chance to take and keep the hill.

Answer 4

Does your grandfather has Alsheimers? Asking the question, is it their "job", is about as stupid a question or statement as saying that the people who drive fast on the roads are required to get killed in accidents.
Now, the possibility of being killed on the front lines might be greater, on a norm, but it isn't anyones "job" to die. Soldiers, marines, airmen and sailors are being killed all of the time in Iraq. Some on the front lines, some in the rear, some while they are sleeping and so on.
Watch the movie "band of brothers". Some of the WWII veterans on the front lines went through the entire war without getting a scratch, while others in the rear were killed by land mines or whatever, while going to the bathroom. There is no specific military ethos to die.

Answer 5

Death isn't part of the job description, but it is a hazard of the job. I was stationed in Germany during the Cold War, before the Iron Curtain came down and the old Soviet Union collapsed. Our job was to slow down the Soviet advance through Western Europe long enough for reinforcements to arrive from the States, to actually stop them in central France. My life expectancy, if WW III ever started was about 13 minutes.

Answer 6

My Grandfather told me the exact same thing, although mine fought as a member of the British 8th Army Desert Rats, he said he was quite prepared to die (and nearly did on four occasions)

However, the job of a frontline soldier (or infantry soldier as they are officially known) is to fight the enemy in close quarters. It's not expected that they die, but it is expected that they are prepared to do just that, and it doesn't just go as far as infantry soldiers either, I'm joining the Royal Logistics Corps in 2 months, and even I will be in the thick of it. It's not expected of any soldier to die (regardless of which nation he serves) but he is expected to defend his country, even if it means giving his life.

Answer 7

The job of front line troops is not to die, but to survive. Although front line troops are taking the brunt of the battle. They have the support of Artillery and the RAf. if things are still going badly, then they withdraw. You must remember that any officer in the front line, has to answer to his superior commander for the number of casualties he incurs.in any action. His troops are not Cannon Fodder.

Answer 8

The job of the front line troops is to kill the Enemy. They put there lives at risk for the country and to take the fight to them rather than fight the war at home. Death is a risk of the job but not why people join

Answer 9

I think anybody who signs up to fight for the freedom of our contry deserves to be called and treated like heroes. When they sign up to go and fight on the front line they know what they are doing our heroes in iraq and afhganistan now face the same sort of enemy as in world war 1 + 2 obviously with different weapons. But i think they are all prepared to die for the cause because as you said in many ways it is a soldiers duty to give his life for queen and country

Answer 10

Not to die for their country but to fight to protect it come what may. There's too much hand wringing about the military going off to war these days. Nobody forces people to join up and when they do they realise they will be called on in the line of duty. In my experience, they are glad to finally put their training into practice. Obviously nobody wants to go to war and you have to feel for the families left behind, but would you say a firemans job is to die etc? If people take on dangerous jobs then consequences must be faced up to.

Answer 11

It is not their job to die. I believe Gen. Patton said that it is their job "not to die for their country, but to make the other poor bastard die for his."

The job of the front line troops is to complete military tactical objectives. Many of these objectives can only be done by putting feet on the ground. And the men called to do such things are put at risk. It is an inherent part of the job to be put at risk of death or injury. Casualties are inevitable in war.

So, no, it is not their job to die. But it is a part of their job to always be at risk of death while on the front lines.