1940. Instantly to many people, that year brings the memory of World War Two. 16.1 million men and women served for the United States during World War Two. Of those men and women, 405,399 did not return. Thanks to Desmond Doss, seventy-five more people had a chance to not be the 405,399.
The movie Hacksaw Ridge by Mel Gibson depicts a story about a boy, Desmond Doss, and his struggle with family, war, and his religion. Desmond will not carry a gun, and because of this he experiences a hard road through the military. The movie eventually has him saving seventy-five lives at hacksaw ridge. The story is incredible for a farm boy with no gun, but how accurate is it? Hacksaw Ridge accurately depicts Desmond’s struggle in boot camp with his companions,
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his boot camp tasks, the terrain of the Okinawa battlefield, the Okinawa camp, and his deed that got him the Medal of Honor. It is a normal day, as far as everyone knows.
All the soldiers in the squad are in the barracks doing their routine for the morning. Uniformed in their green boot camp outfits, they begin to take positions when they hear their sergeant coming. The men line up orderly and neatly in front of their station— a station that is supposed to be well kept and clean. Everyone’s station is clean when the sergeant walks in, but because of orders given to the sergeant, the sergeant attacks Desmond. The sergeant marches straight to Desmond’s station, flips his bed, and then says, “Doss your area is a disgrace, it’s a pigsty” The sergeant continues by saying, “A unit is only as strong as its weakest member” and then gives the unit a twenty-mile hike in full uniform. Later that night, he gets beat up by his fellow …show more content…
privates. The scene depicts Desmond being harassed, bullied, and attacked.
Was Desmond really attacked in boot camp though? The answer to that appears to be yes. Elizabeth Blair, a writer for NPR, reported about the movie Hacksaw ridge. She researched what happened to Desmond so that viewers will know what was true. In her report she says, “’He just didn’t fit into the army’s model of what a soldier would be’ and for that the army made his life hell during training” From this report you can see that Desmond did in fact have it rougher than the rest. Desmond himself days in a documentary about his life, “I was just a joke, and they made fun of me.” Ken Lafond, a platoon private with Desmond in his barracks says in the documentary, “He’d say his prayers at night and some guys took their shoes and threw their shoes at him and threw things at him and made fun of him right out in the open.” Being a famous army private, many articles have been written about Desmond. From all the first-hand report of this happening, the movie is accurate at depicting the treatment of Doss from his peers.
The social aspect of boot camp was rough particularly for Desmond, but for everyone boot camp was tough. In Hacksaw Ridge, it goes through many stages of boot camp. In Hacksaw Ridge, you see the privates run through an obstacle course. They climb ladders and ropes, crawl through mud, and sprint. Afterwards you see them in the rifle range learning about their m14. Another task you see them do is hike as a
squad in all their gear for twenty miles. Is this what happened in WWII boot camp? PBS.org’s article on World War II boot camp shows many similarities to Hacksaw Ridge’s portrayal of boot camp. As one soldier said, “Before breakfast we might go for a 10-mile hike. Eventually a 20-mile hike…” This resembles the scene where the sergeant yells at the squad to go for a twenty-mile hike. Rifle training displayed in Hacksaw Ridge is also accurate. The PBS report continues “Boot camp ended with two rugged weeks on the rifle range, with recruits shivering in tents at night and spending hour after maddening daylight hour struggling to master their weapons.” Time was not displayed very much in the movie, and neither were the conditions, but the fact they had rifle training was accurate. However, Hacksaw Ridge did fail in some areas of boot camp. In the movie, the men had various hair styles. Some of these hairstyles were long. This was inaccurate. As an army veteran of WWII said, “They had numbers, not names, now. Their heads were shaved. They were stripped of civilian clothing and personal belongings; everything except their wallets was tagged and sent home” This does not match Hacksaw Ridge. In the movie, Desmond and “Hollywood” both did not have shaved hair. Also, Desmond carried around his bible and picture of his fiancé. This does not match either because it was said that personal belongings were sent home. Lastly the quote shows that they were given numbers and not names. The drill sergeant gave them all names like “Hollywood” and “private idiot.” Contradictory evidence comes from BBC.org. The article is in the point of view of a soldier’s experience in WWII boot camp. He says, “We were allocated to a hut and told to put our belongings on one of the two tier bunks.” Here it says he was allowed personal belongings. This means Desmond and the men could have been allowed belongings. However, it does say later that the men shaved their heads. As a result that part in Hacksaw Ridge is inaccurate. The Raid of Okinawa was bloody and horrific. Hacksaw Ridge depicts the battle of Okinawa accurately in terrain, but dramatizes certain aspects of it. In the movie when Desmond reaches the top of the ridge, it is a wasteland. Trenches, craters, rocks everywhere-- no vegetation, he sees nothing but smoke. The depiction of Okinawa is not accurate concerning the plant life. The movie depicts Okinawa as barren and not full of foliage. Okinawa is lush and full of life. An article by the marine corps states, “The terrain on Okinawa was covered in foliage and trees and was littered with hills…” To back that statement up pictures like picture 1 show the foliage. From this picture, you can see roots of trees and trees with leaves. Even though the movie did not depict that accurately, the movie depicted many things correctly. There will be a lot of ash and burned foliage due to war, but not entirely like depicted. The trenches were there however. From the previous picture, picture 1 , you see a trench. Also article the article from NPR talks about trenches as well. “
Many African Americas participate in the U.S. Air Force today, but before World War II they were segregated from joining. They had very few rights and many believed they did not have the same talents as whites Americans. These men wanted to make a difference by fracturing racial stereotypes in society; they wanted to prove that African Americans had talents and strengths just like other Americans did. African Americans came together in Tuskegee, Alabama to form the Tuskegee Air Force group and fought to change negative racial perceptions. African Americans learned from teachers on how to properly fly with the right techniques. Americans looked African Americans differently because of their race and background in society, but they wanted to
Band of Brothers is a fascinating book that captures moments lived by soldiers during World War II. It specifically relates to the History of a small unit of paratroopers known as Easy Company, 506 Regiment, 101st Airborne. It is a story that follows the company from its inception to the capture of Hitler’s nest. It begins with the training of these soldiers at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. The 140 members of easy company who were young men from different social levels were physically and mentally trained. This particular company had an extremely harsh training, but many believe it is because of this training that they were considered as one of the best rifle companies in the army.
In 1967, during the Vietnam War, a group of new U.S. Marine Corps recruits arrive at Parris Island, South Carolina, for basic training. After having their heads shaved, they meet Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, who employs forceful methods to turn the recruits into hardened, combat-ready Marines. Among the recruits are privates "Joker", "Cowboy", and the overweight, bumbling Leonard Lawrence, who earns the nickname "Gomer Pyle" after incurring Hartman's wrath.
On the other hand Marine Winston, African-American, got into trouble by getting involved in small fights. He was also involved in an altercation with the police, and because of this he wound up being sent to jail and was later shipped to Japan. While living in Japan he says that everything there was beautiful, orderly, and without violence or trouble. But he still got into another altercation there. Overall he says that the Marines still have many issues dealing with racism, but he’s glad that he joined because it got him.Thomas Ricks, author of “Making the Corps”, gives a description about the United States Marine Corps’ basic military training. The book’s main focal point is Platoon 3086 at Parris Island, S.C., in 1995. Their story is about their eleven weeks boot camp training to become a full-fledged marine. Mr. Ricks writes about what separates the marines from American society, he writes how the Marine Corps differ from other branches of the Unites States military, as well as life after boot camp.
On December of 1992, U.S. troops landed in Somalia. It was Thomas E. Ricks’ first deployment as a Pentagon Reporter. Opening the beginning chapter, he speaks of his first-hand experience he encountered while traveling with a squad from Alpha Company of the 1st battalion of the 7th Marines. Exceptionally qualified, his work on Making The Corps was cited by Thomas E. Ricks himself. Few events were videotaped, and some related by several participants and observers. Thoughts of Platoon 3086 and military documentations, such as “Recruit Incident Reports” and “Recruit Evaluation Cards”, were used as well to get an inside feel of the way recruits and Drill Instructors see Boot Camp.
Not only are there soldiers like Billy Pilgrim in the war, but there are characters like Roland Weary. His wartime is spent fantasizing about what a great soldier he and his cavalry are and creating his own true war story in his head. His war story went like this:
... sense I would not think that the men were out of the ordinary. Prior to the war many of the men who were in this battalion were middle aged family men who were from the working or lower class looking for jobs. I think that the men who were in battalion started off as “ordinary men.” They were men who had no idea what it was like to be in German territories, many were thinking this a job. The fact that many of the men had become wrapped with the guilt with what they had been doing shows that this was not something they had enjoyed but was something that they had to do. I feel that this proves that they were indeed ordinary men because the situation they were placed in was out of the ordinary and something that today we may not be used to this was a job to them. They had no idea what it would entail all they knew that it was job that they were told had to be done.
In conclusion, the training seemed easy for them once they learned their right and left, they learned faster than the white. Going into battle they were brave men and risked their life in order to win. Thomas was not the bravest but kept his respect toward Colonel Shaw even though he was treated bad. Private trip was the bully in this movie and was the one who made a major impact in the movie. As to Colonel Shaw, he made the major change from being the soldier in the army to being the leader of the army. They were all defeated, and Thomas, Private Trip, and Colonel Shaw died. They made history but we still believe they were the bravest men during the war.
My Review of Full Metal Jacket In Stanley Kubrick’s film Full Metal Jacket, the emphasis is spotlighted on the carnage of boot camp and the soldier’s life in Vietnam. The life of a soldier is not an easy one, as it requires great diligence and much sacrifice to ensure the safety and freedom to all those who are afraid and those who seek it. Stanley Kubrick makes sure that we see the harshness and ugliness of the Vietnam War as it was made to be seen. The movie starts with the life of boot camp, getting marines ready to be sent and fight over in Vietnam. The relationship between Private Joker and Private Pyle appears when the Drill Sergeant Hartman makes Private Joker the squad leader. Private Joker, is to make certain that Gomer Pyle cleans his act up and bring an end to the burdens that Pyle has put on the whole squad. Although Private Joker is trying his best to clean up the Private Pyle’s mess, he has met his match, and ultimately sees Pyle as a problem. During the scene where everyone in the squad prepares to beat Pyle with bars of soap wrapped in towels it shows that Private Joker is somewhat hesitant at first, but eventually hits Private Pyle multiple times with heavy blows. Analyzing the relationship between the two privates can be said that Private Joker was trying to help Private Pyle as much as he could, until Private Pyle suddenly breaks and it is made clear when Private Pyle is talking to himself while he is cleaning his rifle. Yes boot camp can be living hell for those who are psychologically unfit and not able to cope during times of great stress, and this can often make certain people “snap”. Stanley Kubrick does a fine job focusing on the stresses of boot camp, especially as this is a time of war and thousands of ...
"Excuse me miss, but you have the cutest little accent," the pizza delivery guy said.
Every American soldier endured rigorous training to become the soldier they are today, but throughout all this training, there are a few things that a soldier can't simply learn. Training and development is treated as preparation for war situations, and much like ordinary grade school, they are tested to see how well each soldier does in each area (Huerta, 2014). Even after all this organizing and teaching, a soldier's mind is still just as human as it was before seeing action in battle. Once a soldier learns to control every situation imaginable, they are sent overseas to put all their training to use; but simulations can only get you so far. At some point, there is a moment when a soldier will step out of his or her body and truly realize how far from home they are, and that the violence of war is just a way of their new daily life. At this point "a soldier is considered dirty" (Phillips, 2014). Although for a soldier this sounds like a step in the right direction in this particular line of work, it's really a step down a dark path, and part of the soldier will never return. Now American soldiers are haunted by the negative psychological effects resulting in the harsh symptoms of PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder) as seen in Jarhead's main character Anthony Swofford.
During the Vietnam War, the first platoon (approximately forty men) was lead by a young officer named William Calley. Young Calley was drafted into the US Army after high school, but it did not take long for him to adjust to being in the army, with a quick transition to the lifestyle of the military, he wanted to make it his career. In high school, Calley was a kind, likable and “regular” high school student, he seemed to be a normal teenager, having interest in things that other boys his age typically had. He was never observed acting in a cruel or brutal way. In Vietnam, Calley was under direct order of company commander, Captain Ernest Medina, whom he saw as a role model, he looked up to Medina. (Detzer 127).
Conscientious objectors normally don't go into warfare and many aren't important or take a stand, but when Desmond Doss was born, he would make a change forever in human history. As a conscientious objector, he didn't have a clue that he was going to be enlisted into the United States army. His religious freedoms and his will to protect the testament is undoubtful as he saved men on numerous Japanese islands, most notably Okinawa. Hacksaw Ridge is commonly known where Doss took his stand against the Axis powered Japanese at the area of the island. Doss propelled religious aspects of life while in war to his fellow soldiers that made him become more correspondent to the religion. Doss represented his religion socially, politically, and
During morning PT on Ft. Campbell, CSM Hambrick was a regular fixture along the run route and throughout the Brigade’s footprint. He always encouraged leaders to participate in daily PT with their subordinates and regularly joined them as well. CSM Hambrick showed up during an APFT and asked me what my best run time was. After receiving my answer, he told me that he believed I could do better and he would run with me to prove it. I took an entire minute off of my run during that APFT. After the APFT he gathered the present NCOs and explained the importance of breathing excellence into your subordinates. He always stressed that it was important for Soldiers to know that their leader supported them and expected greatness. In reflection, I realize that he was also demonstrating that an effective leader leverages every available opportunity as a teaching
I remember the day that I left for boot camp. I was terrified. My stomach was queasy, my head was cloudy, and every time I imagined what was about to happen to me, I started to cry. It was an incredible leap I was about to take. The mental preparation was the most difficult part. I had no idea what to expect. I had heard many horror stories about the things that occur in Boot Cam...