EP.178
Strict discipline is necessary to create a strong army.
This is because strict and fair discipline must be established so that soldiers work hard to avoid punishment during training and risk their lives in war.
The person who knew this principle well was Admiral Yi Sun-sin, the legend of the Japanese invasions of Korea, and people who study war history even say this.
‘In Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s military camp, there may be more people who died from breaking rules than from battles.’
However, the current imperial army’s discipline is somewhat ambiguous, so it needs to be corrected in the right direction.
“From now on, in our division, unit commanders of each unit will be prohibited from personally imposing disciplinary action on soldiers above a certain level, except in emergency situations.”
At those words, the officers looked at me with puzzled expressions.
According to what I and other officers learned at the Academy Staff College, one of the officers’ duties is to correct soldiers who misbehave.
This is because a wide range of disciplinary action was permitted.
The disciplinary action includes very simple push-ups, sitting and standing, removing military badges, turning around the parade ground, lifting a cane, whipping, and pay reductions.
So far, we have achieved good results by using this authority to the fullest to increase the morale and training of soldiers.
To be honest, it’s not very useful other than giving soldiers something like push-ups to wake them up.
“Lieutenant General, I have a question for you. So how do you manage soldiers during training?”
“In order to concentrate the soldiers’ minds, small movements such as push-ups are allowed. In addition, when soldiers cause minor problems during their time on the unit, we allow them to verbally scold us or even give them a slight scolding.”
“Then what do you plan to do in other cases, Lieutenant General?”
To conclude, I intend to increase the average level of punishment, not lower it.
However, it is officially based on standards that can be understood from high-ranking officers above to privates below.
“That’s a good question, Lieutenant. From now on, the punishment of all soldiers for being weak or above-mentioned will be carried out according to strict rules, and all of this will be carried out in front of the soldiers. This is so that the soldier who made a mistake will be punished and feel shame at the same time so that he will never do something like that again. “This is so that other soldiers can see it and be wary.”
This method served as a driving force for Gustav II, known as Sweden’s Lion of the North, to transform the weak Swedish army into a strong army.
Because although they are not as noble as officers, soldiers are also people who live in their own sense of honor and pride.
Even though the military law is strict, if the contents and punishment that can be understood through common sense are applied, the soldiers will realize their mistakes and reflect on them, or even if they do not, they will be restrained by other soldiers around them.
In addition, since unnecessary punishments are eliminated, many absurdities also disappear.
“Therefore, as of the present, if any soldier above the squad leader determines that punishment should be imposed, except for the weak, he or she shall report to each company commander along with a brief reason. Then, if there is a soldier subject to disciplinary action, on Saturday morning, the company commander punishes him in front of everyone as written in the rules, based on what he received from the non-commissioned officer under his command.”
However, if a culture of punishment is introduced in such a visible way, there may be cases in the Korean military where commanders say ‘go’ for their own performance evaluations, as is often seen in the news.
Based on common sense, if there is a bad soldier in your unit and you cover it up and report that there is no problem, you are likely to be evaluated as managing the unit well.
In addition, if there are many soldiers causing problems, there may be disadvantages in personnel evaluations even if it is not the commander’s fault.
Or, on the other hand, there could be someone who says they are doing a good job of regulating things, but then accuses them of excessive punishment or even really trivial things.
“All punishments go up to the commander of the higher unit. In cases where the disciplinary action is over 30, the reason for the disciplinary decision and its details will be reported to the regiment commander, and for those under 30 caned, the battalion commander will be reported and reviewed. In addition, the number of disciplinary actions taken by the former commander and the basis thereof will be kept as a personnel evaluation and reviewed before personnel action. If appropriate punishment and disciplinary action were given at this time, even if the number of such punishments was somewhat high, it would be considered as an effort to manage the unit and it would be advantageous for promotion. In the opposite case, there is a disadvantage.”
If you do this, most people will think this way even if you receive a somewhat harsh punishment.
‘Ah, I got it because I did something that deserved punishment.’
“For your information, all military regulations will be applied and enforced equally to all officers, including me, and any disciplinary action less than caning will not be recorded in the personnel evaluation until three times, including for officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers. However, if you are disciplined for the same crime three or more times, no matter how minor, we will hand it over to the military court and consider personnel measures such as dismissal.”
Because of their noble status and prestige, officers often receive less punishment than soldiers.
So it will be rare to receive completely equal punishment.
However, like the anecdote in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, when Cao Cao was passing through a barley field, he made a show of cutting off his own head because his horse stepped on the barley, and after cutting off his head, the discipline of the army was corrected.
If officers know that they are subject to the same laws as they are, even if the level of punishment is lowered, soldiers will trust the law more.
If you are disciplined more than three times, even if it is a trivial matter, the military court will openly punish you, so all soldiers and officers will really try to strictly follow the rules.
“There is no training today. Instead, commanders at each level must disseminate the rules I have created to their soldiers within today and make them familiar with them. In addition, I will administer the disciplinary action held this Saturday to set an example.”
***
Saturday morning at the 7th Guards Division parade ground.
“The lieutenant general said he would be punished according to the rules written here. Will the same standards apply to officers?”
“Sergeant, I don’t know if it’s anyone else, but is Lieutenant General Yeager the kind of person who would talk nonsense? So, wouldn’t our platoon leader be in an uproar if he got caught for violating the rules?”
“Well, that’s why you tried to go to the bathroom during training like usual the other day, but you held on until the end. “If you leave during training to use the restroom, you will be caned regardless of the reason.”
Originally, it was a disciplinary action that had to be carried out at each company level, so there was no need for so many people to gather at once.
To show that this would be done, the entire division of over 8,000 men was gathered together.
Moreover, as an army that lacks things to talk about, there are many people who whisper about disciplinary action being taken.
“Then I will start disciplinary action now. First, to Captain Klein von Stein.”
With those words, Captain Klein quietly stepped forward, attracting everyone’s attention, and everyone’s eyes were focused on him.
For a nobleman who values honor, this alone would be sufficient punishment, but the law is strict.
“Captain Stein, you broke the rule of not drinking more than two beers at lunch or dinner while on duty. “Am I right?”
“Yes that’s right. “I had about three drinks like I normally do.”
“It’s a shame there was no mock battle training that day. If there had been a mock battle, the soldiers could have been injured because of your drinking. “It’s already been stated in the rules, so there will be no room for excuses.”
Hearing this, he quietly lowered his head.
Originally, in the Imperial Army, unless there was a very urgent situation, there was a tradition that people would be tolerated as long as they did not drink enough beer for lunch.
Because beer is like cola in Korea.
However, if you drink a lot and get drunk, the problem becomes more serious, so I defined it as one 500ml glass.
“Whether you are a commander, non-commissioned officer, or soldier, excessive drinking during working hours is against the rules. Therefore, starting today, we will be going around the parade ground dressed in full military gear for a week. “If you want to protest, do it now.”
“No, Lieutenant General.”
“After today’s trial, you can put on your armor and pack your military uniform under the supervision of military police officers.”
If you are fully equipped with armor, you will be carrying around 50 to 60 kg of weight on your entire body, so there is no such thing as hardship.
Since everyone around you can see you, it will be really embarrassing for your nobility.
In this format, I imposed disciplinary action against a total of 14 soldiers today.
And just as I had intended, the fighting will and morale of the soldiers and officers increased significantly.
Time passed and the day for the unit founding ceremony arrived.
The Guard Division needed a member of the royal family to symbolize the division, and I naturally asked His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to grace the occasion.
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