What is fragging and why were US Army officers afraid of it in Vietnam

The term "fragging" began to be used in the 1950s. But it was widely used only during the Vietnam War. Fragging was the deliberate murder of a commander by subordinates, issued for death in battle or an accident. This word came from the combination of "fragmentation grenade", that is, "fragmentation grenade". What is the connection here, we will tell you now.

Any protracted, unfair and ineffective war leads to demoralization of the army. It was so in Vietnam. At the end of the campaign, discipline in the US troops was extremely low, and in some units it came to complete moral decay. The so-called "McNamara project" also contributed to the decline, thanks to which, to put it mildly, not the best guys got into the war zone.

In the literally feral American army, the fragmentation grenade has become a popular tool for settling scores with an overly demanding or simply disgusted commander. The grenade could have been thrown into the officer's tent at night, or it could have been "dropped" under his feet during the battle. No one really understood such deaths, because it could be the actions of an insidious enemy, careless handling of weapons or suicide.

There was mutual responsibility in the units and even the most decent and disciplined soldiers were afraid to report a murder. Such a truth-teller could easily have been accidentally shot during a night skirmish by comrades-in-arms. Or he himself could become the next victim of a stray grenade. Therefore, the fighters who pulled fragging often found themselves unpunished.

The Vietnam War lasted 7 years. During this time, there were 230 documented cases of fragging alone. And there were more than 1,400 suspicious deaths among officers and non-commissioned officers. Historian Michael Klodfelter, who devoted most of his life to the study of that war, believed that fragging caused the death of at least 5,000 people.

Over the past half century, a lot of research has been written on the topic of fragging in the army. Almost all the authors unanimously say that this phenomenon was caused by a fall in discipline, alcoholism and drug addiction. This was the result of a protracted war, during which the army suffered numerous defeats and suffered losses.

The soldier who did not want to fight, and even more so to die "for the idea", often hated his commanders. Having drunk well or taken a drug, he could well realize his bold fantasies. Moreover, as we have already said, the probability of getting caught was low. Racism, which was flourishing in the USA at that time, also played a role. The army, as you know, is a cross section of society. It was full of officers ready to humiliate soldiers just for the color of their skin.

One of the documented cases of fragging was the case of Private Smith. He, being under the influence of heroin, decided to take revenge on Senior Lieutenant Roeller for personal insults. Smith just came to the commander's tent and threw a grenade under his bed. The officer died on the spot, and Smith, as if nothing had happened, went to the parade ground, to build. There the murderer was detained by the military police.