Military Salutes

In ROTJ, when the two Imperial Scouts find Leia and Wicket, one of them tells the other "Go get your ride and take her back to base" and the other makes the military salute gesture and says "yes sir."

To my knowledge, this is the only instance of saluting in the OT, and possibly in the PT as well. If anyone has another scene where this can be observed please let me know.

In seemingly identical interactions involving stormtroopers, or personnel on Imperial starships, there is no saluting. Does anyone else find this inconsistency odd, or am I the only one?

 

I know they bow to Vader, and I THINK I remember a few instances where they sort of stand straight and rigid after they've been given a command and then rush off to do it. I don't know if you could consider that a salute.

 

But why is there no saluting in Star Wars? Is it because GL was never in the forces, and probably the inventor of Star "Wars" wouldn't know a salute if he saw one?

 

He seems to have a fair amount of warfare knowledge and military formation... I highly doubt a lack of understanding is the issue here.


Besides, he didn't write or direct TESB and RotJ. In ANH, we didn't see many instances of subordinates being given orders by their military commanders... It was always a special case (usually involving Vader, who, at the time, wasn't technically part of the military).


I'm trying to remember if anyone saluted anyone else in AotC. If they did, then this is a minor inconsistency. If they didn't, the one could use the excuse that the Empire never really had anything to model itself after in terms of the military, and just hadn't really developed such a simple concept at that point.

 

The Battle of Hoth: A full frontal assault by heavy armour, with NO troop or air support and minimal secondary armour support (a single AT-ST). Yes, very good military knowledge.

the Empire never really had anything to model itself after in terms of the military

Easy Answer: The Third Reich

 

Even movies that are trying to get it right never do. I don't think the Star Wars movies tried much at all. They usually had the "Yes Sir" and coming to attention but beyond that it was just something the individual directors didn't really pay much attention to or plan.

One explanation is I don't think you salute indoors so that would explain a lot of orders on the Star Destroyers. There's really no way of being outdoors on a Star ship though.

 

Well, the Kaminoans train the clones in military strategy, and they must have gotten their knowledge from somewhere. Perhaps in the pre-Empire days, even though there was no full scale war in a long time, military strategy was still a science that was studied by certain people or species, and this knowledge came to the Empire.

In addition, by the time ESB rolls around, the Empire has been around for over 20 years, long enough to develop military strategy. I'm wondering, where did the customs and traditions (like saluting) come from? And is the sporadic use of that gesture anything more than an inconsistency?

Obviously, different cultures here on Earth have different gestures used to connote respect and allegiance. (e.g. bowing, saluting, "heil Hitler" etc.) Jedi_Master201 mentioned the Imperial officers bowing to Vader. I'm not sure how consistently this is done, either. Memorably, the Stormtroopers who boarded the Tantive IV in ANH did not bow to Vader when he entered after them. (although I don't think he's part of the military structure in that context.) Moff Jerjerrod in ROTJ is down on one knee when Vader arrives. In ESB there is a scene with the Imperial officers talking to Vader via hologram, and I think they bow to Vader also.

 

Most western militaries: Longest way up to the forehead above the right eye with palm facing downwards, shortest way down.

The Japanese during WWII: A bow.

The Nazis: A click of the heals and the right hand raised with the palm facing forward.

The Empire: Er...don't know???

 

I thought Solo gave Lando a lazy salute when he boarded the Tydirium?

 

Movies featuring the Romans or Greek army: Fist over the heart or chest.

Not sure if that is an actual salute. Could be though.

 

Heres some cliff note military history for you high speed FanForcers out there (from a bonified USAR soldier).

The salute dates back to Roman times when one would extend his right arm to the offical he wished to speak with. Thus indicating he had no desire (at that point in time) to stab him.

In Medivial Europe, Knights would raise their helmet viser to acknoweldge another knight or noble.

In 1820, the motion was modified to touching the hat of the saluting. Since then the motion has remained the same.

In the US Army. Saluting is done primarily outdoors when the enlisted soldier or lower ranking officer, recognizes the higher ranking officer and executes the salute atsix paces.
The higher ranking officer returns the salute and both salutes are lowered when the higher lowers his/her hand.

Soldiers also salute the colors six paces before and after. At morning revely in and when the colors are lowered at dusk.

Normaly saluting is not done inside. However, during ceremonies conducted indoors salutes are executed when nessisary.
The full detail is in a FM someplace.

My guess is that the Imps on screen were either indoors (don't salute unless you need to) and in the combat zone (don't salute unless you want your commanding officer shot by a sniper). So during the movies, the Imperials were in no hurry to salute. Mabey during Vader visit to the second Death Star. But, after watching all the movies I can tell George has no knowledge of Military Drill and Ceremony.

Heck even the facing movements of the Rebels in the final scene of ANH makes me cringe. Damn you Army for making me so picky about fancy ways of turning around!

 

There are a number of saluted in ROTJ although none of them are or seem to be formal.

As stated in this post, the biker scout salutes his boss.

Luke salutes R2 on the sail barge (I know this was a signal but why choose a salute???)

Lando salutes Han when he's lending him the Falcon for the Endor Battle

It seems strange that there is no saluting in ANH or ESB but a number of instances in ROTJ ?

 

The lack of consistent proper military procedure in the Star Wars films does tend to make it all look slightly chaotic and amateurish. But there is one instance of what I think could be considered a "salute" in ESB, where Veers bows slightly (Imperial Japanese style) to Ozzel before he turns away to prepare his men for the coming attack.

And yes, Theron, that is the salute that the Romans and Greeks used to do.

 

Oops, got it wrong. Thanks for correcting me that it was Lando who did the lazy salute to Han.

Perhaps the Imps have a non-traditional form of saluting?

 

A wink maybe?

Veers: "Hello sailor!" *looong wink*

Ozzel: "Get away from me you homosexual!"

EV Edit: That word is not allowed here.

 

In ROTJ, when the two Imperial Scouts find Leia and Wicket, one of them tells the other "Go get your ride and take her back to base"

What ride would that be? His bike or his prisoner

 

Well, there are a few instances where officers stand at attention, but not much else.

BTW Jedi_Master201. Lucas DID write both ESB and ROTJ in collaboration with Lawrence Kasdan.
The screenplay for ESB was credited to Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan based on a novel by George Lucas. However, Lucas disn't approve of Brackett's first draft, but since Brackett died of cancer shortly after completing the screenplay, the inclusion was a way to honor her.
The same with ROTJ. Many scenes that Lucas included in his OWN early drafts is in the movie unaltered. Besides, there are several scenes in ROTJ that was directed more or less by Lucas himself.
I'm beginning to think of starting a thread (in the Star Wars saga forum) that concentrates on this issue, since I think that people criticize Lucas far too much.
Said and done.

 

It seems strange that there is no saluting in ANH or ESB but a number of instances in ROTJ?

Don't forget the officer in the Death Star Docking Bay office who salutes to Luke (or is it Han?) who exits the Falcon.

 

It was Luke the officer salutes to, because Han was at the office door at that moment with Chewbacca.

 

He wasnt saluting he was pretending he had a comlink problem in his helmet that was why he didnt respond to his post.

 

No, Luke made a gesture to the side of his helmet in order to convey that he had a comlink problem in his suit. At that, the Stormtrooper Officer (the guy in the black officer's uniform) up in the office saluted his understanding of the problem.

 

Exactly Zethlin_Maximus. That was why the officer saluted. Good that you cleared out the Luke issue.

 

So, and today we give our salute to...?

 

No prob, Mange!