I was in the Army 66-69, my dad was a bomber pilot, '42 to 46. My grandfather ran the Brooklyn Naval yard from 1937 to 1957. So I have a profound appreciation for the necessity of WWII. A legitimate threat, to the worlds survival, as 80 million deaths, certifies.
One of the things this movie shouts out loud (for me) most of the people oin this movie who are ordering men to their death, probably aren't qualified to drive a bus. In the 40's and 60's the army saw itself largely as an unthinking organism. Individuals don't think they follow instructions, rolling down hill. In fact individual thought might be contraiindicated.
But as these military types, joiin the retired or discharged soldiers from the last 80 years, they have to put away that blind allegiance and as citizens start asking why.
Why have we spent hundreds of billions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi, Libya, and now 50 billion more in Ukraine. Eisenhower said the greatest challange facing post war America, is declawing the miulitary industrial complex. Very powerful arms dealers, getting big bucks, mainintaing the status quo, HAVE TO, MUST FIGHT A WAR EVERY SO OFTEN. A portion of the budget, allocated for weapons gets funneled back as campaign contributions. Kind of like construction rebuilding our 3rd world infrastructure, The difference, bridges don't lead to escalating combat.
Last observation. Wars won or lost, tend to push us further along the continuum of great powerful nation, #1 in the world 1946. To continuous inner strife, ridiculous handgun murders daily., Stores with no products, youths feeling its ok to rob, sell/do drugs.
Theres such a different zeitgeist today, compared to 1946. I was born in '46 , so I grew up in the can do era, right through to the moon landing. Now 50 years later soldiers, who risked it all, come home to America on the decline, just like Eqypt, Rome, Aztecs, Mayans, Spain, and England several times. Looking ahead it seems its soon to be Chinas time.
I was an MD at a V. A hospital, and every time I saw a pretty young wife hold it together , while "visiting" a loved one.....only to leave the room and either faint ot collapse on the floor sobbing. Is their anyone that facvtors in the physical trauma and cocomitant psychological damage., BUSINESS is a crappy excuse to throw our young away. Put out way of life under genuine threat, come at our homeland and at 76 I'll re-enlist.
This movie does an excellent jiob of dissecting the fog of combat. "Little" things like how many men are you prepared to losr to take that hill captain." Correct answer is 0. Its a worthless hilkl in the mniddle of nowhere.
I believe it was 1960, when we as a government paid off the last dependent of a severely wounded civil war soldier. 100-150 years from now we'll be paying claims to children, whose parents were deformed or killed in our morern police incursions.
Lastly, every soldier, sailor, flier or marine you see struggling with a prothesis....is a young man (or woman) who put it all on the line for his country only in most cases to have his own personal dreams die.
CONSEQUENCES: next time you hear we are sending our military to (anywhere) you need to find your voice and bravely ask why? In as democracy we have that right. Lastly, if its an excuse to shunt funs to arms folks, ask "WHY," MUCH LOUDER.
One more thought, our army is top heavy, top generals earning millions living in mansions for free, with aides, servants etc for free, who then retire at $20,000 a month. So to get there, you bet theres a great deal of don't rock the boat.
Lots going on behind the scenes as $170 month captain, asks the $60 /month private (est wwII salary) to take that hill.
Solid, but brooding, depressing movie. Valuable, for its help in understanding the dynamics of combat,
One of the things this movie shouts out loud (for me) most of the people oin this movie who are ordering men to their death, probably aren't qualified to drive a bus. In the 40's and 60's the army saw itself largely as an unthinking organism. Individuals don't think they follow instructions, rolling down hill. In fact individual thought might be contraiindicated.
But as these military types, joiin the retired or discharged soldiers from the last 80 years, they have to put away that blind allegiance and as citizens start asking why.
Why have we spent hundreds of billions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi, Libya, and now 50 billion more in Ukraine. Eisenhower said the greatest challange facing post war America, is declawing the miulitary industrial complex. Very powerful arms dealers, getting big bucks, mainintaing the status quo, HAVE TO, MUST FIGHT A WAR EVERY SO OFTEN. A portion of the budget, allocated for weapons gets funneled back as campaign contributions. Kind of like construction rebuilding our 3rd world infrastructure, The difference, bridges don't lead to escalating combat.
Last observation. Wars won or lost, tend to push us further along the continuum of great powerful nation, #1 in the world 1946. To continuous inner strife, ridiculous handgun murders daily., Stores with no products, youths feeling its ok to rob, sell/do drugs.
Theres such a different zeitgeist today, compared to 1946. I was born in '46 , so I grew up in the can do era, right through to the moon landing. Now 50 years later soldiers, who risked it all, come home to America on the decline, just like Eqypt, Rome, Aztecs, Mayans, Spain, and England several times. Looking ahead it seems its soon to be Chinas time.
I was an MD at a V. A hospital, and every time I saw a pretty young wife hold it together , while "visiting" a loved one.....only to leave the room and either faint ot collapse on the floor sobbing. Is their anyone that facvtors in the physical trauma and cocomitant psychological damage., BUSINESS is a crappy excuse to throw our young away. Put out way of life under genuine threat, come at our homeland and at 76 I'll re-enlist.
This movie does an excellent jiob of dissecting the fog of combat. "Little" things like how many men are you prepared to losr to take that hill captain." Correct answer is 0. Its a worthless hilkl in the mniddle of nowhere.
I believe it was 1960, when we as a government paid off the last dependent of a severely wounded civil war soldier. 100-150 years from now we'll be paying claims to children, whose parents were deformed or killed in our morern police incursions.
Lastly, every soldier, sailor, flier or marine you see struggling with a prothesis....is a young man (or woman) who put it all on the line for his country only in most cases to have his own personal dreams die.
CONSEQUENCES: next time you hear we are sending our military to (anywhere) you need to find your voice and bravely ask why? In as democracy we have that right. Lastly, if its an excuse to shunt funs to arms folks, ask "WHY," MUCH LOUDER.
One more thought, our army is top heavy, top generals earning millions living in mansions for free, with aides, servants etc for free, who then retire at $20,000 a month. So to get there, you bet theres a great deal of don't rock the boat.
Lots going on behind the scenes as $170 month captain, asks the $60 /month private (est wwII salary) to take that hill.
Solid, but brooding, depressing movie. Valuable, for its help in understanding the dynamics of combat,