Ethical and Moral Leadership in the Military Saving Private Ryan Case Study

From the Beachhead to the Village Part 1 From the Beachhead to the Village

Leadership Authority and Responsibility Were the Orders by Capt Miller: Ethical? Within the Limits of Authority? Related to Military Duty? Clear and Unequivocal? Received and Understood?

Article 1 of the Geneva Convention states: Persons taking no active part in hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, color, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.   The Law of Armed Conflict states: NONCOMBATANTS -- These people include medical personnel, chaplains, POWs, wounded and sick, shipwrecked, parachutists escaping disabled aircraft, and civilians.  NONCOMBATANTS are NOT legal targets.  A noncombatant poses no military threat to us.  Therefore, there is no military necessity (principle I) in targeting them.

“Explain the math of this one to me—what’s the sense of risking the lives of the eight of us for just one guy?” -- Pvt. Reiban

Military Priorities 1st – Mission 2nd – Higher HQ 3rd – Collateral Units 4th – Unit Welfare 5th – Individuals 6th – Yourself 7th – To Act Decisively 8th -- Community

Mission vs. People Capt Miller (in response to Pvt. Reiban): “There’s a duty as soldiers. We have orders, we have to follow them and that supersedes everything else.”

for the People or for the Mission A Leader’s Decision: for the People or for the Mission   a.   Group Egoism (to group) -- acts are judged according to whether their consequences are beneficial or harmful for the entire group (family, tribe, nation) to which they belong. Under any form of egoism, the costs and benefits to ‘others,’ outside of the group, or the leader are given subordinate status or are ignored entirely. b.  Deontological (to duty) -- comes from the Greek word deon, or duty, since it emphasizes foundational duties or obligations. A moral obligation that a person has towards another person. Duties are actions that are due to someone else, such as paying money that one owes to a creditor.

Right vs. Right -- Right vs. Wrong “Many of the decisions made in combat are made on the basis of consequences…weighing the costs and benefits of various alternatives.” -- Dr. Larry Hinman

From the Village to the Glider Part 2 From the Village to the Glider

“The decent thing to do?”

Military Priorities Mission Higher HQ Collateral Units Unit Welfare Individuals Yourself To Act Decisively Community

A Leader’s Rationalization Capt Miller: “When one of your men is killed, you tell yourself it happened to save the lives of 2, 3, 10 maybe 100 others…We’ve lost 94 men…I’ve saved the lives of maybe 10 times that. That’s how simple it is…that’s how you rationalize b/w mission and the man.” 1st Sgt. Horvath: “Sir, sometimes the mission is the man!” Capt Miller: “Well, this Ryan better be worth it—he better go home and cure some disease or invent a longer lasting light bulb or something.”

Chaplain (Col.) Maloney’s 3 Ethical Pressures Faced by Military Professionals 1) Rule-Oriented 2) Goal-Oriented 3) Situation-Oriented

Moving out from the Glider to the Decision at the Bridge Part 3 Moving out from the Glider to the Decision at the Bridge

Balancing Considerations An Unnecessary Risk? To The Mission? To The People?

“Sir, are you gonna let them kill him? Sir, this isn’t right!” Balancing Considerations “Sir, are you gonna let them kill him? Sir, this isn’t right!” – Cpl. Upham

Balancing Considerations An added twist with the decision: we later see the freed soldier returns to fight against them again

Disobeying Orders/Dissention When do you fire on your fellow soldier? Balancing Considerations Disobeying Orders/Dissention When do you fire on your fellow soldier?

Summary Officers Provide “Sanity Check” Blind Obedience is Dangerous Leadership Authority and Responsibility Principle, Purpose, People Blind Obedience is Dangerous Illegal, Immoral, Unethical Orders Dissention/Disobeying Orders The End does not Always Justify the Means Ethical Pressures Balancing Considerations Right vs. Right or Right vs. Wrong

APPENDIX OF CHARACTERS Captain Miller Private Ryan Sergeant Horvath Private Reiban Private Jackson Medic Wade Corporal Upham Private Melish Private Caparzo

Captain John Miller Actor: Tom Hanks

Private James F. Ryan Actor: Matt Damon

Sergeant First Class Horvath Actor: Tom Sizemore

Private Reiban Actor: Ed Burns away from mission after Threatens to walk away from mission after letting the POW go.

Private Jackson Actor: Barry Pepper Competent Sniper

T/4 Medic Wade Actor: Giovanni Ribisi Killed in attack on radar station

Corporal Upham Actor: Jeremy Davies

Private Melish Actor: Adam Goldberg

Private Caparzo Actor: Vin Diesel Killed by sniper in the village trying to save the girl.