Saving Private Ryan

1
Ethical and Moral Leadership in the Military
Saving Private Ryan Case Study
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
2
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
3
Scene 1

• From the Beachhead to the Village

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
4
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?

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
5
Dr. Toners 3 Ps
HONOR DUTY COUNTRY
PRINCIPLE PURPOSE PEOPLE

6
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.
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
7
Explain the math of this one to mewhats the
sense of risking the lives of the eight of us for
just one guy? -- Pvt. Reiban
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
8
Military Priorities

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

9
Mission vs. People

• Capt Miller (in response to Pvt. Reiban)
• Theres a duty as soldiers. We have
  orders, we have to follow them and that
  supercedes everything else.

10
A Leaders 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.
11
Right vs. Right -- Right vs. Wrong
Many of the decisions made in combat are made on
the basis of consequencesweighing the costs and
benefits of various alternatives. --
Dr. Larry Hinman
12
Scene 2

• From the Village to
• the Glider

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
13
The decent thing to do?
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
14
Military Priorities

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

15
A Leaders 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 othersWeve lost 94 menIve
saved the lives of maybe 10 times that. Thats
howsimple it isthats 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 ithe better go
home and cure some disease or invent a longer
lasting light bulb or something.
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
16
Chaplain (Col.) Maloneys 3 Ethical Pressures
Faced by Military Professionals
1) Rule-Oriented 2) Goal-Oriented 3)
Situation-Oriented
17
Scene 3

• Moving out from the Glider to the Decision at the
  Bridge

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
18
Balancing Considerations
An Unnecessary Risk? To The Mission? To The
People?
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
19
Balancing Considerations
Sir, are you gonna let them kill him? Sir, this
isnt right! Cpl. Upham
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
20
Balancing Considerations
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
An added twist with the decision we later see
the freed soldier returns to fight against them
again
21
Balancing Considerations
Disobeying Orders/Dissention
When do you fire on your fellow soldier?
Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
22
Summary

• Officers Provide Sanity Check
• 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

23
APPENDIX OF CHARACTERS

• Captain Miller
• Private Ryan
• Sergeant Horvath
• Private Reiban
• Private Jackson

• Medic Wade
• Corporal Upham
• Private Melish
• Private Caparzo

24
Captain John Miller

• Actor Tom Hanks

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
25
Private James F. Ryan

• Actor Matt Damon

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
26
Private Reiban

• Actor Ed Burns
• Threatens to walk
• away from mission after
• letting the POW go.

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
27
T/4 Medic Wade

• Actor Giovanni Ribisi
• Killed in attack on
• radar station

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
28
Sergeant First Class Horvath

• Actor Tom Sizemore

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
29
Corporal Upham

• Actor Jeremy Davies

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
30
Private Jackson

• Actor Barry Pepper
• Competent Sniper

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
31
Private Caparzo

• Actor Vin Diesel
• Killed by sniper in the
• village trying to save
• the girl.

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)
32
Private Melish

• Actor Adam Goldberg

Picture courtesy of Paramount Pictures (1998)