Military salute

The military salute has a number of antecedents including the medieval knight's lifting of his visor, and the Roman upraised arms to hail Ceasar. It possibly originates in the offensive and defensive arm-raising gesture of two combattants, who on first adopting this physical attitude are not usually in a position to strike. Therefore the gesture becomes symbolic, at least acknowledging the fighting capability of the opponent, if not signalling intention to fight. Rendering the modern military salute is the hallmark of obedience. Its evolution into the accompaniment of lock-step or goose-step mass military parades showing off the latest weapons of indiscriminate destruction is seen, or has been seen, on all continents. The military salute is, in effect, a vow to kill.