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Subject: 
Re: Not Saving Private Ryan.
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Fri, 4 Jun 2004 05:43:11 GMT
Viewed: 
684 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, John Neal wrote:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Don Heyse wrote:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Scott Arthur wrote:
The Guardian has today published a number a letters written on and around
D-Day by those involved.

I haven't seen Private Ryan so I can't debate you on this one.  Is it
OK form in here to just say thanks for the interesting link?

I'm not exactly sure {why} SA titled his post the way he did, but I can say
that the beginning of that movie is the most powerful and moving bit of
moviemaking I have ever seen.  I found myself moved to tears; humbled; and
felt such a sense of awe and gratitude for what was sacrificed {for me}.  I
would {strongly} recommend you to see it-- {every} American should be
required to see that movie IMO, especially our teenagers.


[JOHN]

Yeah.  I cried too.  I suddendly realized I was the same species as those
butchers who sent men get butchered there that day.  Both sides.  If Europe and
N. America had solved the problem with diplomacy BEFORE it got out of hand, none
of this would have happened.  But back then, the USA were not getting implicated
in foreign affairs (good ol' times...) and France and GB cowered in front of
Hitler, leaving him the time and oppoirtunity to strike.  Bad call, bad
diplomacy, poor administration.

So the war was being lost and they had to get to Germany.  But why wait so long?
USSR lost what, 21M men in WW2?  Why?  Because the USA asked them to hold the
eastern front while they prepared an invasion by La Manche.  It was a butchery.
A stupid military move made by stupid administrators who were safe from harm in
their offices in GB.  They sent thousands of men to a slaughter and the events
turned positively, so now, it's known as D-Day, it's supposed to be the day the
"free-world" won the war against the Nazis and everything.  But D-Day was
nothing more than soldiers butchering each others because politicians didn't do
their jobs before.  Too many good persons died that day for stupid reasons.  It
wasn't a good day for freedom or for anything.  It should be remembered as the
third most terrible day of human history.  The first two being, of course, the
Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (don't even get me started on that!)

Now, I'm not saying that I would have preferred the Nazis to win.  Of course
not.  The Nazis should have been stopped earlier.  Before the war even started.
Before Hitler was even "elected".  It should have ended at the End of WW1, when
the treaty was signed in that train wagon.  They removed all rights to Germany.
A proud people with a proud history being reduced by the rest of the world to a
second-hand country unable to control its destiny...  It was fairly predictable
that they would not like it and that they would eventually strike back.  Just as
Iraq may very well strike back eventually if USA does not give them their
sovereignty soon.  Just as USA would react if they were treated that way.

I understand many people see in D-Day a symbol of freedom, or as john put it, a
sacrifice some people did for them.  The way I see it, D-Day is the proof that
military action should never occure unless it's absolutely inevitable.  A lesson
Bush didn't learn.  Instead of celebrating the day we won the war, we should cry
the day we let the war happen.  That way, instead of creating a hero cult,
instead of celebrating war, we would celebrate peace and we could start
considering heroes those who trul deseve it; not killing-machines taught to obey
to any order without thinking, but doctors and nurses who save lives every day,
firefighters who risk their lives to help others, volunteers who help those in
need, etc.

Cinematrographically (?!), SPR was amazingly good.  But I hate to celebrate
violence and death.  I was moved too, but in a very unpleasant way.  Maybe it's
because we don't crave "military heroes" here.

Terry



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: Not Saving Private Ryan.
 
(...) I think it's fair to say that Europe ignored our advice at the end of WWI, so I'm not sure where the U.S. should accumulate any blame: "We told ya so!" :-) (...) The campaign in Italy wasn't working - the man who came up with the WWI Gallipoli (...) (20 years ago, 4-Jun-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
  Re: Not Saving Private Ryan.
 
(...) Hitler aside, in 1939 Germany had the most impressive military machine the world had ever seen. However, I don't believe the GB cowered; if anything we took the fight to Germany. We (with the help of our allies) moved on from Dunkirk in (...) (20 years ago, 4-Jun-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Not Saving Private Ryan.
 
(...) I'm not exactly sure why SA titled his post the way he did, but I can say that the beginning of that movie is the most powerful and moving bit of moviemaking I have ever seen. I found myself moved to tears; humbled; and felt such a sense of (...) (20 years ago, 28-May-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)

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