Reel American History - Films

Band of Brothers (2001): This is a mini-series about World War II based on the nonfiction book by historian Stephen Ambrose. The story follows a US Army rifle company that parachutes into France on D-Day. As the name suggest, Band of Brothers is about the brotherhood among soldiers. It focuses on the personal struggles of the men in Easy Company and how they deal with the stress of battles and the loss of their fellow soldiers. Despite the differences in time and place, the themes are remarkably similar to Black Hawk Down: the issues of soldiersâ€™ personal struggles with war and the bonds between warriors are key aspects of both.
Saving Private Ryan (1998): Saving Private Ryan is loosely based on events during World War II. It is a notably violent film, depicting gruesome battles between American and German soldiers. It has been criticized for its tactical inaccuracies, but director Steven Spielberg says that the dramatic effect of the film was more important than its accuracy. The main sentiment behind Saving Private Ryan is the moral of â€œno man left behind.â€ It is a motif that makes the military look less like a trained killing force and more like a unit of caring heroic individuals. Black Hawk Down uses the same idea when it details the work to rescue the fallen soldiers. Black Hawk Down also has a lot of action scenes that create dramatic effect; however, it is more historically accurate than Saving Private Ryan.
We Were Soldiers (2002): We Were Soldiers is an account of the first major battle of the Vietnam War and the first significant use of helicopters in combat. Like Black Hawk Down, this film is based on a highly regarded book. This is a great film comparison for understanding how poorly developed mission planning can cause offensive strikes to turn into strategic rescue missions. Though the films are from separate eras of United States history, the idea that the US does not develop more thoughtful strategies from its mistakes is a recurring theme.

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