Soldiers suppress dissent among themselves to preserve unit cohesion

Evidence

The argument continued for a while, widening the divide between the two groups, until it petered out somewhere between respectful differences and a bad taste in your mouth. The Marine Corps drills into its troops the idea that they’re all green, that a fractured and divided group of soldiers is a liability. Ultimately, that was the value that triumphed. Although some soldiers played the movie over and over, Sami and many others refused to watch it again. — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 288 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

But at the time, Sami didn’t share his opinions widely. “I need these guys,” he concluded, “so let me shy away from it.” Most everyone followed suit. Especially after the first big fight, the movie was rarely brought up again. People’s positions on the war became clear after that, and the issues were seldom discussed. Everyone knew what would happen: more arguments, more dissension, more internal conflict. Only when Sami was in a group of like-minded soldiers would he talk about the movie, about politics, or about the reasons for their presence in Iraq. Otherwise it became an issue to be scrupulously avoided, and the soldiers tried to focus on something else. — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 292 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Institutional cohesion norms suppressed open dissent within the soldier group. — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 288; Military unit cohesion was preserved by suppressing political disagreement about the war. — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 292; Movement leaders suppress internal critiques to protect unity — Silke Roth, Intersectionality and coalitions in…, 151

Broader Connections

• Institutional cohesion norms suppressed open dissent within the soldier group. #corroborates (0.95) — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 288
• Military unit cohesion was preserved by suppressing political disagreement about the war. #corroborates (0.95) — Moustafa Bayoumi, How Does It Feel to Be a Problem? Being…, 292