American History Through Film: Green Berets to Black Hawk Down

Introduction: Film as a Lens on American History

It is often observed that there are different categories of history: the history that happened, the history constructed by historians, and the history that people believe. Since the early 1920s, the American film industry has attempted to recreate history through films and television programs that aim to pass specific messages to viewers. War is often a fascinating subject for filmmakers, as it gives them an avenue to express opinions and pursue various agendas. This paper examines three different war films — The Green Berets, Saving Private Ryan, and Black Hawk Down — analyzing key scenes with respect to their realism and entertainment value.

The Green Berets: Propaganda and the Vietnam War

The Green Berets is a controversial Vietnam War film directed by and starring John Wayne, released in 1968. This was at the height of the Southeast Asian conflict, and America was losing the war amid the outcry of anti-war movements demanding that troops come home. The few supporters of the war were intent on America winning, arguing that losing would allow communist ideology to spread from new communist states to other countries around the globe. The film is based on a book — a collection of short stories about a skilled Green Beret. John Wayne, a popular heroic actor at the time, was an apt choice for the role, having publicly expressed his support for the Vietnam conflict. His popularity served as an added advantage, as it could be leveraged to build public support for the war.

The film follows a team of highly skilled soldiers who take charge of a strike camp located in Viet Cong territory and attempt to lure an enemy combatant into their trap. The key characters are a journalist who opposes the war but joins the troops in Vietnam, and a Vietnamese orphan who bonds with the American soldiers as the conflict unfolds. The film opens with a chauvinistic song that builds up the heroism of the soldiers, intended to remind Americans of the sacrifices being made on their behalf. The Green Berets demonstrate their skills to viewers in an auditorium, and two soldiers give an account of the situation in Vietnam. They portray the Vietnamese as ruthless killers — a scene that clearly designates the enemy. The Vietnamese orphan who cheers the soldiers on is meant to represent local acceptance of American assistance, though this framing overlooks the reality that Americans were effectively invading Vietnamese territory. The harsh reality of war surfaces when the orphan's soldier friend, Peterson, is killed and the child frantically searches for him.

The journalist is a particularly controversial character, representing those opposed to the war. He begins the film as an opponent of military intervention but, after his experience in Vietnam, comes to see its importance and even enlists for a tour of duty. This character arc is aimed at journalists accused of giving biased reports without a clear understanding of conditions on the ground. It also condemns those who judge what they do not understand — as Wayne tells the journalist: "Pretty hard to talk to anyone in this country until they've come over here and seen it." Eventually, the heroes retake the camp after a U.S. Air Force plane decimates the enemy ranks.

Saving Private Ryan: Realism and World War II

Saving Private Ryan, a 1998 war film directed by Steven Spielberg, follows the search for an American soldier missing in Normandy, France, during the Second World War. The opening scene is set at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, where an elderly man walks along rows of gravestones with his family and is overcome by grief at the grave of a fallen comrade. The film then unfolds the gruesome details of war through bloody scenes of soldiers being shot as they advance against German defenses. One soldier is shown clutching his intestines; another stoops to retrieve his severed arm. Through impressive camera work, the directors create a vivid experience for the viewer, capturing the chaos of battle with blood and water splashing onto the lens amid the sounds of gunfire.

Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) assembles seven men and sets out on a mission to find Private James Ryan and return him safely to his mother. The group loses two men on the way to Ramelle, where they eventually locate Ryan, and at one point the Captain releases a captured German soldier — a decision that casts considerable doubt on his leadership. When the group finally reaches Ramelle, they find Ryan and other soldiers defending the town from German troops and join in securing the bridge at the Merderet River. Spielberg renders the horrific details of war in the subsequent scenes as Miller's men sustain injuries and grow malnourished while being heavily outnumbered. The film ends with Captain Miller being fatally shot; the town is ultimately saved, with only three survivors remaining.

Conclusion

After comparing the three films, Black Hawk Down stands in a league of its own. Mark Bowden conducted extensive research in writing the book and participated in the film's production, making the film an accurate representation of the events of 3–4 October 1993 while simultaneously honoring the memories of those who served. The confidence and dedication of the soldiers, the frustrations of leadership, and the raw emotions of combat are all captured authentically. The actors inhabit their roles convincingly, and the visuals and camerawork are exceptional. In this analysis, Black Hawk Down emerges as the most effective of the three films at eliciting genuine sympathy and conveying a realistic impression of a historical event.