Code of The United States Fighting Force: Mastering Military Strategy and Combat Operations

By Fouad Sabry

What is Code of The United States Fighting Force

The Code of the United States Fighting Force is a code of conduct that serves as both an ethics guide and a directive issued by the United States Department of Defense to members of the United States Armed Forces. It is comprised of six articles that address how individual members of the United States Armed Forces should behave in combat situations where they are required to evade capture, resist while a prisoner, or escape from the enemy. Although it is believed to be an essential component of the United States military doctrine and tradition, it is not recognized to be formal military law in the same way that the Uniform Code of Military Justice or public international law, such as the Geneva Conventions could be deemed to be.

How you will benefit

(I) Insights, and validations about the following topics:

Chapter 1: Code of the United States Fighting Force

Chapter 2: Korean War

Chapter 3: Prisoner of war

Chapter 4: War crime

Chapter 5: Unlawful combatant

Chapter 6: Prisoner of War Medal

Chapter 7: Missing in action

Chapter 8: Floyd James Thompson

Chapter 9: Lieber Code

Chapter 10: People's Volunteer Army

(II) Answering the public top questions about code of the united states fighting force.

Who this book is for

Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of Code of The United States Fighting Force.

• Language: English
• Publisher: One Billion Knowledgeable
• Release date: Jun 22, 2024

Book preview

Chapter 1: Code of the United States Fighting Force

The Code of the United States Fighting Force is a code of conduct that serves as both an ethics guide and a directive issued by the United States Department of Defense to members of the United States Armed Forces. It is comprised of six articles that address how individual members of the United States Armed Forces should behave in combat situations where they are required to evade capture, resist while a prisoner, or escape from the enemy. Despite the fact that it is regarded as an essential component of the United States military doctrine and practice, it is not recognized to be formal military law in the same way that the Uniform Code of Military Justice or public international law, such as the Geneva Conventions, are.

Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Lieber Code in 1863, is credited with being the person who originated the early history of rules for the army.

The Chinese and North Korean troops that were fighting in the Korean War at the beginning of the 1950s were responsible for the capture of American military personnel as prisoners of war. Unlike in the United States' earlier wars, the conditions under which these American POWs were held were more severe. The United States prisoners of war were considered by the enemy to be more than troops from the opposing side who were temporarily prohibited from conducting war. This was the first time that this occurred during an American conflict. The purpose of the prisoner of war camps was to exert mental control over the detainees from the United States. The communists of North Korea and China were not afraid to utilize cruel and gory torture as terrible instruments in their efforts to exploit prisoners of war from the United States into making public statements that appeared to be sympathetic to the communist war effort. In the case of the American prisoners, cruel torture, a shortage of food, the absence of medical assistance, and subhuman treatment became a daily way of life. Many of the detainees discovered that their training had not adequately prepared them for this new battlefield.

Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Brooke Nihart, United States Marine Corps, worked at the headquarters of the Marine Corps throughout the summer of 1955. He outlined his ideas in longhand, and on August 17, 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10631, which stated, Every member of the Armed Forces of the United States are expected to measure up to the standards embodied in the Code of Conduct while in combat or in captivity. This led to the establishment of the Code of Conduct. There have been two instances in which it has been altered: the first time was in 1977, when President Jimmy Carter issued Executive Order 12017, and the most recent time was in March 1988, when President Ronald Reagan issued Executive Order 12633, which altered the code to achieve gender neutrality.

It is important to note that the code forbids surrendering except in situations where all reasonable means of resistance [are] exhausted and...certain death is the only alternative. Additionally, it instructs Americans who have been captured to resist by all means available and to make every effort to escape and aid others. Furthermore, it prohibits the acceptance of parole or special favors from enemy forces. In addition, the code specifies the appropriate behavior for American prisoners of war, reaffirms that prisoners of war are required to provide their name, rank, service number, and date of birth in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, and mandates that captured military personnel should evade answering further questions to the utmost of [their] ability when they are being questioned.

A document titled clear explanations and guidance for the 429 articles of the Geneva Conventions was distributed by the Army and Marine Corps in the year 2020.

In the first three paragraphs of Executive Order 10631, the authority to develop the Code of Conduct, communicate the goal of the organization, and assign tasks is explicitly specified.

I therefore prescribe the Code of Conduct for Members of the Armed Forces of the United States, which is attached to this order and is hereby made a part of it. This is done in accordance with the authority that has been bestowed upon me as President of the United States and as Commander in Chief of the armed forces of the United States.

The standards that are outlined in this Code of Conduct are required to be met by every single member of the United States Armed Forces, regardless of whether they are engaged in combat or whether they are being held captive. For the purpose of ensuring that these standards are met, members of the armed forces who are at risk of being captured must receive specialized training and instruction that is intended to better equip them to counter and withstand any and all efforts made by the enemy against them. Additionally, they must receive comprehensive instruction regarding the behavior and obligations that are expected of them while they are in captivity or engaged in combat.

The Secretary of Defense (and the Secretary of Transportation with regard to the Coast Guard, with the exception of when it is serving as part of the Navy) is obligated to take any and all actions that are deemed necessary in order to put this order into effect, as well as to disseminate and make the Code known to all members of the United States Armed Forces.

Members of the United States Armed Forces are entitled to the Code of Conduct, which serves as a guide for how they should conduct themselves and what they should do. In the event that the service member is seized and becomes a prisoner of war (POW), this guideline is applicable not only on the battlefield but also in the event that the service member is captured. The Code is broken down into six different articles.

Article I:

I am a member of the United States Armed Forces, serving in the armed forces that protect my nation and our way of life. When it comes to their defense, I am willing to lay down my life.

Article II:

Under no circumstances would I ever give up my own free will. Whenever I am in a position of authority, I will never give up the members of my command while they are still in possession of the means to resist.

Article III:

I will continue to resist by any and all means accessible to me in the event that I am captured. Every attempt will be made by me to escape, and I will also assist others in escaping. Nothing from the adversary, not even parole or special favors, will be acceptable to me.

Article IV:

I promise to maintain my faith alongside my fellow inmates in the event that I am taken prisoner of war. I am not going to divulge any information or take part in any activity that could potentially be detrimental to my fellow soldiers. I will assume command if I am in a senior position. If this is not the case, I shall comply with the authorized directions of those who have been appointed to direct me and will support them in every manner.

Article V:

I am expected to provide my name, rank, service number, and date of birth in the event that I am questioned in the event that I were to become a prisoner of war. I will do everything in my power to avoid answering any additional questions that may be asked. I shall not make any statements, either verbally or in writing, that are defiant to my nation and its allies or that are detrimental to their cause.

Article VI:

The fact that I am an American, that I am fighting for freedom, that I am responsible for my actions, and that I am dedicated to the ideas that made my nation free is something that I will never forget. In the United States of America and in my own personal faith, I shall put my trust.

{End Chapter 1}

Chapter 2: Korean War

Between North Korea and South Korea, the Korean War, often known by other names, lasted from 1950 to 1953. Following border conflicts and rebellions in South Korea, North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, sparking the start of the Korean War. China and the Soviet Union supported North Korea, while the United States and its allies supported South Korea. On July 27, 1953, the conflict came to a conclusion with an armistice.

Imperial Japan occupied Korea from 1910 until its capitulation at the end of World War II on August 15, 1945, a 35-year domination. Along the 38th parallel, Korea was divided into two zones of occupation by the US and the USSR. The northern zone was governed by the Soviet Union, while the southern zone was governed by the United States. Due to Cold War hostilities, the occupying zones split into two independent states in 1948. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, a communist state, was founded in the north under the totalitarian dictatorship of Kim Il Sung, while the Republic of Korea, a capitalist state, was founded in the south under the autocratic authority of Syngman Rhee. Both governments insisted that they were the only ones authorized to rule all of Korea, and neither acknowledged that the border was ever-lasting.

On June 25, 1950, North Korean military forces (Korean People's Army, KPA) drove across the border and invaded South Korea following failed attempts at unification discussions. After the First Phase Offensive and the Second Phase Offensive, the UN withdrew from North Korea. By the end of December, Chinese forces had entered South Korea.

Seoul was four times taken during these engagements and others that followed, and communist forces were driven back to locations along the 38th parallel, not far from where the war had begun. Following this, the front stabilized, and the following two years saw an attrition-driven conflict. But the battle in the air never came to a standstill. The US launched a significant bombing campaign against North Korea. For the first time in history, jet-powered aircraft engaged in air-to-air combat, and Soviet pilots secretly flew in support of their communist friends.

On July 27, 1953, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, putting an end to the hostilities. The agreement permitted the release of detainees and established the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to divide North and South Korea. The two Koreas are, however, technically still at war and still engaged in a frozen conflict because no peace treaty was ever signed.

Korea, South, the war is usually referred to as the 625 War (6·25 전쟁; 六二五戰爭), the 625 Upheaval (6·25 동란; 六二五動亂; yugio dongnan), or just 625, indicating that its start date was June 25.

(Chinese: 抗美援朝战争; pinyin: Kàngměi Yuáncháo Zhànzhēng), although the term Chosŏn War (Chinese: 朝鮮戰爭; pinyin: Cháoxiǎn Zhànzhēng) is sometimes used unofficially.

The term Hán (Korean) War (Chinese: 韓戰; pinyin: Hán Zhàn) is most commonly used in Taiwan (Republic of China), Macau and Hong Kong.

Since the United States never technically declared war on its adversaries and the operation was carried out under the supervision of the United Nations, President Harry S. Truman initially referred to the conflict in the United States as a police action..

During the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), Imperial Japan significantly reduced China's control over Korea, resulting in the brief Korean Empire.

The Soviet Union pledged to join its allies in the Pacific War within three months of the victory in Europe at the Tehran Conference in November 1943 and the Yalta Conference in February 1945. Germany gave