Simply obeying commands: A moral dilemma in uniform

United States Marines parade in formal review. (Photo by Edward Saunders, used with permission.)

The sitting U.S. president, in his role as commander-in-chief, has publicly threatened military leaders who refuse to follow orders they consider illegal. Decades ago, a soldier named Hugh Thompson confronted a similar moral crisis.

On March 16, 1968, near the South Vietnamese village of My Lai, identified as Pinkville on Army maps, helicopter pilot Warrant Officer Hugh C. Thompson, Jr. and his crew, Specialists Glenn Andreotta and Lawrence Colburn, observed an unimaginable scene from the air. Thompson, an experienced pilot, immediately recognized something was gravely wrong.

They were conducting aerial reconnaissance for Task Force Barker, a battalion-sized U.S. infantry unit from the 23rd Infantry Division, engaged in a search-and-destroy mission. Weeks of constant sniper fire, deadly landmines, and heavy casualties had pushed the soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry Brigade, to the brink. Their actions revealed the thin line between humanity and savagery.

From the air, Thompson saw more than a hundred civilians killed in a water-filled ditch, including women, children, and the elderly. He witnessed American soldiers committing atrocities: indiscriminate shooting, bayoneting, and sexual violence against unarmed civilians. Risking his own life, Thompson landed his helicopter between the civilians and the soldiers, protecting countless Vietnamese lives. His intervention was a decisive act of moral courage, later recognized with a medal for heroism.

On the ground, Thompson confronted Army First Lt. William L. Calley, the My Lai platoon leader. Thompson demanded, Whats happening here? Calley responded, Just following orders. Calley was later convicted of murder in military court for his role in the massacre.

Historically, wars were often fought for conquest or spoils. Concepts of fighting for liberty or freedom are relatively modern. In earlier U.S. conflicts, including World War II, objectives were clear, but post-WWII military goals often became ambiguous, leaving soldiers to question the morality of their actions. U.S. servicemembers retain personal conscience and moral judgment even while carrying out military duties.

Every soldier, sailor, airman, marine, and coast guardsman faces the responsibility of applying lethal force responsibly. They deserve transparency from leaders regarding the justification and purpose of military actions. True leadership requires both moral and physical courage to act in accordance with justice, liberty, and human decency, even amid the chaos of war.

Conflict is inherently chaotic, and combatants constantly grapple with the tension between duty and morality. Soldiers must decide when an order violates basic human principles. At My Lai, Thompson exemplified the moral clarity expected of all military personnel.

Following World War II, the Nuremberg Trials established that "just following orders" does not absolve individuals from crimes against humanity. Military forces are bound by both national and universal laws, and moral courage is essential to refuse unlawful commands, even from the highest authority.

Thompsons actions remain a powerful example of upholding human decency and the ethical obligations of armed service. The United States must continue to emphasize that its armed forces are accountable to justice, liberty, and morality.

Edward Saunders is a retired U.S. Army officer, decorated combat veteran of the Persian Gulf War, author, and historian residing in Laurel, Wyoming.

Author: Sophia Brooks