Desertion is a problem that has plagued humanity for many millennia. In all countries and throughout all ages, there have been those who preferred their own good over the well-being of their homeland. But such actions can lead to terrifying consequences, especially during the war. So let's talk about who deserters are. Where do they come from? And what punishment is due for violations of military regulations?
Deserter: meaning of the word
The word deserter itself comes from the French deserteur, which means “traitor” or “traitor” in translation. In a broader sense, this is a person who left without permission his unit or unit in order to evade further bearing of military duty. In addition, deserters are equated with persons who deliberately did not appear for military service.
First traitors
It is difficult to say exactly when the first deserters appeared. But most likely, this happened at a time when the army was not a voluntary choice, but the undeniable duty of every citizen. As for more accurate data, already in Ancient Egypt there were records of those who preferred flight instead of a brave battle. In fairness, we note that such soldiers were caught, and then their tongues were cut off.
However, a clear line in who the deserters were was set by the ancient Romans. In their military empire, there were a number of laws providing for punishment for fleeing the army. At the same time, it was practically impossible to hide from justice, since they could be sentenced to death for sheltering a negligent fighter. But the criminals themselves were not killed, they were stigmatized and sent to fight in the forefront, so that they became a human shield for the rest.
Desertion problem
About who such deserters, knew all the nations and classes. After all, a similar problem can affect any army, regardless of its moral and physical training. The difference is only in the number of soldiers capable of succumbing to temptation. For example, the Vikings almost never escaped from the battlefield, as this contradicted their life beliefs. But the armies of small English lords, on the contrary, were unstable, because for the most part they consisted of peasants and mercenaries.
However, what made the soldiers betray their homeland, knowing that they would face harsh retribution? The truth is that the deserter in the army is afraid of two things: death and bullying. It is these two factors that often become key when a person makes a final choice. In order to better understand each of them, let's look at them separately.
Imaginary death is better than real
Since ancient times, the deserter is a synonym for the word "traitor". Therefore, it is not surprising that in many countries this offense was punished very severely. Especially when it comes to martial law, when every soldier is worth its weight in gold. In such periods of history, life was the price of escape. For example, it is no secret to anyone that during the Second World War, both Soviet and German troops could shoot those who violated their army duty without trial.
Nevertheless, the soldiers still ran away, sometimes even during the battle. Why did they do so, because the probability of dying was in that and in another case. In truth, the peculiarities of our psychology are to blame. A person realizes that the punishment for fleeing is severe, but it will come later, and here the real threat that exists here and now. Therefore, on the battlefield, the weakest in spirit prefer a delayed punishment than a challenge to a direct threat.
Bullying and ridicule
If everything is clear with martial law, then why do soldiers desert in peacetime? There can be many reasons: unwillingness to be away from home, love, passion for freedom, and so on. However, there are those who flee from bullying by colleagues and superiors. And it is they who are the vast majority that deserts in the modern army.
After all, a person cannot tolerate insults from other people for a long time, especially if he is constantly in an isolated society. Being ridiculed, sooner or later he comes to the conclusion that it is better to receive severe punishment from the law than to continue to endure this horror. The saddest thing is that such an appeal cannot be eradicated, because there are always those who are stronger and those who adapt to them.
Desertion in the Russian army
In what deserters we figured out. Now let's talk about how often they appear in the ranks of our army? So, according to the data for 2014, 93 criminal cases under Art. 338 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Desertion"). The punishment for such misconduct before the homeland is imprisonment for up to 7 years. If the soldier left the service along with his weapon, then the term can be extended to 10 years.
Of course, the government clearly understands who the deserters are and that not all of them deserve such a harsh sentence. Therefore, Art. 338 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation has a special amendment, which says that if a soldier is brought in for the first time under this article and he has weighty arguments in his defense, then he may be forgiven for a violation of the law.