Saving Private Ryan example essay topic

Saving Private Ryan I chose Saving Private Ryan, the 1998 movie directed by Steven Spielberg about the invasion at Normandy and a special mission that follows, as the topic of my paper. The mission is for eight men to go behind enemy lines and rescue a soldier who's brothers have died in battle and bring him back. The movie starts with the D-Day invasion at Normandy Beach, a very tragic and great day at the same time. Allied troops were being shot the second the landing vehicles opened, mortars were dropping all over, there was no cover, and those who sought refuge in the water were drowned by the weight of their equipment. As all of this happens, we follow members of one unit as they struggle to make their way on shore.

Bodies are dropping everywhere, the wounded are piling up, and things are looking down. After intense battle and effort, however, the Allied forces finally take the beach, but not without a high cost of life. From what I know and have heard about the D-Day invasion, the movie was very accurate on it's portrayal of the attack. The action was so intense at the movie theater I first saw it in that a veteran got up and left for a while because he was crying so bad. I later found out that he had actually been there and that seeing it so vividly on screen had brought back too many bad memories.

If that doesn't convey realism, I don't know what does. Once the territory is in Allied hands and bases have been set up, we are introduced to the characters we have been following; namely Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and the rest of his unit. They are then given an assignment. Washington brass has discovered that all of Ma' Ryan's boys have been K.I.A. except for one, and his whereabouts are unknown due to a bad air drop. Captain Miller and his men must track him down so that he can be shipped back to the U.S. Now, the mission may not be historically accurate, but the practice may have been.

From what I have heard, GI's were sent back home if two or more of their siblings our immediate relatives were lost in combat. This may just be hearsay, but it's sounds like a reasonable policy. None of Captain Miller's troops are happy about this and there is much discussion on the worth of sacrificing eight men for one. Miller, however, is hearing none of it and they push on. Occasionally they happen upon a fire fight, randomly scattered troops, and downed gliders that had been off course. One particular battle they encounter gives them an up-close experience with a German soldier.

He tries his best to please them and show them how great he thinks America is, but only after a great amount of persuasion from the minority in the group is he allowed to live. He is released and is supposed to go towards Allied lines, and they continue on their search. Everywhere they go, however, there is no sign of Private Ryan, who was separated from his unit in one of the many botched air drops that occurred on D-Day. This is very accurate historically. Due to bad conditions and bad navigation, paratroopers were dropped tens of miles off target, if not more. Because of this, there was sporadic fighting all across the French countryside, not to mention troops that had been separated from the rest of their unit.

Also, numerous transport gliders were easily shot down due to the fact that they were so lightly armored, and the ones that were heavily armored for officers didn't fly that well, so they crashed. Finally, Captain Miller and his men are able to find Private James Ryan, who has joined up with another unit. They are defending a small bridge in a was torn town, and he refuses to abandon them until reinforcements arrive, despite the news of his brothers. So Captain Miller and his men stay to help them as well. When the German's attack, they suffer many casualties, most of the squad in fact, including Captain Miller. Luckily, they are saved by air support, and Private Ryan goes home to his Mother.

The end of the movie, as with the first few minutes, are centered at the Grave of Captain Miller, where an Old Private Ryan has brought his family in order to thank the man who saved his life. This movie received many awards and accolades, especially from the U.S. Military and veterans. There is a reason for this: it is one of the most historically accurate movies on D-Day and the first days of the war to date. It is also very fair to both sides. While it does display the German soldier as a coward when he is captured and as bloodthirsty when he has rejoined his side, that is the way any person would be. The movie also shows the worst in the Americans, who were so willing to kill him and who made jokes at the dog-tags of the dead.

As a whole, the movie doesn't really comment that much on the Germans or their side of the battle, just the U.S. side. Therefore, it is rather one-sided, but by no means biased. Basically, this movie is not only to educate those who weren't there on the horrors of war, but also to pay tribute to those who were, and I think it does a great job of doing this.