Does General Order 24 exist in TNG?

[HaplessCrewman]

In the TOS episode, "A Taste of Armageddon", Kirk orders Scotty to execute Star Fleet General Order 24 (which is to destroy all life on a planet) against Eminiar VII unless the ruling council releases their hostages (which was the whole landing party).

This always struck me as an extreme response but it was also one of the things I loved about TOS's take no prisoners approach to diplomacy.

Do you think this General Order survived to the 24th century or did it remain in the past as part of Kirk-era cowboy diplomacy?

I imagine Picard would be aghast that an order like this even existed - let alone as a General Order. I wonder what situation in Star Fleet history necessitated the creation of such an order?

Memory Alpha says -

General Order 24: An order to destroy all life on an entire planet. This order has been given by Captain Garth (Antos IV) and Captain Kirk (Eminiar VII). On neither occasion was the order actually fulfilled. (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy", "A Taste of Armageddon")

 

[T'Girl]

Personally, I think GO-24 was a pre-arranged bluff between Kirk and his senior officers.

 

[Kevman7987]

I do wish Starfleet had a more militaristic approach in the 24th century that included glassing planets. Though it still may be part of their general orders in that the Prime Directive seemed to evolve into an order to let everyone die because it is their "cosmic fate."

 

[Commishsleer]

I do wish Starfleet had a more militaristic approach in the 24th century that included glassing planets. Though it still may be part of their general orders in that the Prime Directive seemed to evolve into an order to let everyone die because it is their "cosmic fate."

Maybe by the 24th century General Order 24 only applies to pre-Warp planets who have accidentally seen 24th century technology. Better off dead according to Picard's philosophy.

But seriously General Order 24 seemed a bit of overkill so to speak in "A Taste of Armageddon". Wiping out a city or two would have got the message across. I tend to think of it as a sort of bluff as TGirl said. I think Kirk/Scotty would have had to speak to Starfleet first and Spock would have to verify before it would actually happen.

However in the TOS days, sometimes the Enterprise was the only sherrif in town and she had to keep order...

I think General Order 24 might always exist for those rare cases like Talos and Deneva no matter what century you're in.

 

[BillJ]

No way to ever know. The 24th century is gone...

 

[Sci]

For whatever it's worth, the novel A Time to Kill established that the Eminiar Amendment to the Federation Charter had banned the destruction of a planet (and by default rescinded General Order 24) by the time of TNG.

 

[Clark Terrell]

No way to ever know. The 24th century is gone...

I don't know what this means.

 

[nightwind1]

No way to ever know. The 24th century is gone...

I don't know what this means.

I'm pretty sure it's a dig at JJ-Trek.

 

[Clark Terrell]

I'm pretty sure it's a dig at JJ-Trek.

And one that makes no sense. Alternate histories don't vanish. They exist in parallel alongside the new continuity. But I digress...

 

[HIjol]

...is this a good time for a lens flare?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Personally, I think GO-24 was a pre-arranged bluff between Kirk and his senior officers.

I find this very likely. IMHO, there is no way in hell that Starfleet would ever actually destroy a planet like that. They simply don't stoop that low. That's genocide, and the Federation is above that.

 

[USS Triumphant]

No way to ever know. The 24th century is gone...

I don't know what this means.

What it means is that the 24th century's yesterday. You can care all you want. Everybody does - yeah, that's okay.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

Personally, I think GO-24 was a pre-arranged bluff between Kirk and his senior officers.

I find this very likely. IMHO, there is no way in hell that Starfleet would ever actually destroy a planet like that. They simply don't stoop that low. That's genocide, and the Federation is above that.

They also live in a universe with mad energy beings, ancient psycho androids, and other dangerous stuff that they don't always come to an understanding with.

So having a general order to cover their asses in a possible situation where they have to fry an entire planet to keep all life in the galaxy safe from horrible death doesn't seem so far fetched.

 

[Clark Terrell]

I find this very likely. IMHO, there is no way in hell that Starfleet would ever actually destroy a planet like that. They simply don't stoop that low. That's genocide, and the Federation is above that.

Not all of the Federation, my friend.

 

[Push The Button]

Personally, I think GO-24 was a pre-arranged bluff between Kirk and his senior officers.

I read about a deleted scene on the bridge where McCoy presses Scotty over whether or not he will actually follow through with GO-24 if the Eminians don't release the landing party. If I recall correctly, Scotty wasn't exactly happy about the prospect of wiping out Eminiar Seven, but he was prepared to carry out Kirk's order nonetheless.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I find this very likely. IMHO, there is no way in hell that Starfleet would ever actually destroy a planet like that. They simply don't stoop that low. That's genocide, and the Federation is above that.

Not all of the Federation, my friend.

Section 31 doesn't count.

 

[Clark Terrell]

Section 31 doesn't count.

Because they work behind the scenes or because they don't live by traditional Federation values?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Because they're a rogue bunch of criminal terrorists, that's why. They don't even work for the Federation - they just do whatever they want. They're accountable to NO ONE.

 

[T'Girl]

(S31) They don't even work for the Federation ...

Debateably they don't work for the Federation's governing body, however they do work for the Federation itself, unofficial protectors.

I read about a deleted scene ...

I've never heard of this scene. Was it filmed and then discarded, or was it from a preliminary script?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

(S31) They don't even work for the Federation ...

Debateably they don't work for the Federation's governing body, however they do work for the Federation itself, unofficial protectors.

No, actually, they don't, because - like I said - Section 31 don't answer to the Federation. Section 31 does, quite literally, whatever it wants to. That's not "working for" anybody, by any definition of the phrase.