Insubordination, Updated for Canadian Forces

Insubordination, Updated for Canadian Forces

  • Submitted By: risqu3
  • Date Submitted: 03/10/2011 3:35 PM
  • Category: Miscellaneous
  • Words: 905
  • Page: 4
  • Views: 334

Insubordination

Why should we obey our chain of command? In early 1951, Douglas MacArthur known for his habitual disregard of his superiors led to a crisis. He sent a letter to Representative Joe Martin, the House Minority Leader, disagreeing with President Truman's policy of limiting the Korean War to avoid a larger war with China. He also sent an ultimatum to the Chinese Army which destroyed President Truman's cease-fire efforts. This, and similar letters and statements, are seen as clear examples of insubordination to the chain of command. MacArthur had ignored that necessary principle while he was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Power, which is SCAP, in Japan. MacArthur at this time had not been back to the United States for eleven years. By this time President Truman decided MacArthur was an insubordinate, and relieved him of command on April 11, 1951. MacArthur was then replaced by General Matthew Ridgway, and eventually by General Mark Wayne Clark, who signed the armistice, which is a letter that states that the advancing and offending military agree to stop fighting, and that ended the Korean War. Insubordination is the act of a subordinate deliberately disobeying a lawful order. The concept of insubordination is most often associated with military organizations, as military organizations have a chain of command and lawful orders given by a CO, which is a commissioned officer, or an NCO, which is a non commissioned officer, are expected to be carried out by the person to whom the order is given to. When military personnel are insubordinate to their superiors many negative situations can arise and put the mission in danger of failing. Insubordinate personnel can be disciplined on many different levels depending on seriousness and command, although insubordination should always be taking seriously to the extreme because other people are affected from other decisions in the military.
When personnel refuse to perform an action unethical, illegal or...

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