In war, soldiers often find themselves in intense situations that can create strong emotional bonds between them. These bonds are called combat trauma bonds, and they can make it difficult to follow the rules of engagement. Combat trauma bonds can lead to feelings of love, loyalty, guilt, shame, remorse, and fear. They can also lead to unethical behavior such as fratricide (killing fellow soldiers), looting, rape, murder, and desertion. To prevent these behaviors, military leaders must train their soldiers to be aware of the risks of combat trauma bonds and develop strategies for dealing with them. This includes emphasizing the importance of following orders, maintaining discipline, and avoiding fraternization with enemies. The code of conduct outlines what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior in battle. It states that soldiers should not mistreat prisoners, civilians, or other armed forces members.
When soldiers form close relationships through combat trauma bonds, it becomes challenging to obey this code.
Combat trauma bonds occur because soldiers share traumatic experiences in war. During battle, soldiers may witness death, destruction, injury, and violence. They may feel helpless, scared, angry, and frustrated. As a result, they become emotionally attached to each other. This attachment makes them more likely to disobey orders and act against ethical principles.
If a soldier feels guilty about killing an enemy soldier who was once a friend, he may refuse to obey orders to kill again. Soldiers may also experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after war. PTSD causes flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, depression, anger, and paranoia. These symptoms can make it hard to follow orders or focus on the mission. If soldiers are unable to cope with PTSD, they may turn to alcohol or drugs, which can lead to unethical behavior such as sexual misconduct or criminal activity. To address these issues, military leaders must create programs that help soldiers process their emotions and reintegrate into society after war.
How does emotional attraction challenge the ethical principles governing military conduct?
Emotional attraction is a powerful force that can have a significant impact on an individual's behavior, including their adherence to ethical principles. In the context of military conduct, emotional attachments may lead soldiers to engage in unethical actions such as violating rules of engagement, disregarding orders, or even committing war crimes.