Saving Private Ryan is an American critically acclaimed World War II film that is lauded for its realistic depiction of the grueling bloody state of war. The film won multiple awards, but one of its most recognized achievements is the depiction of D-Day on Omaha Beach in the opening scenes. What this scene does is it situates the viewer in the eyes of a small squadron of soldiers who, once exiting the landing craft that would put them on the beaches, has all hell unleashed upon them. The moment the landing crafts open the American soldiers are at the mercy of relentless machine gun and artillery fire. Many don’t make it to the beach; those who do are depicted in gruesome ways. They are bleeding to death, huddling together behind minimal cover, dismembered (one man is looking for his …show more content…
These American soldiers are commanded to exit the landing craft where they will probably die. They follow these orders, and make it through the blood bath, watching the masses slain around them, and come face to face with two enemy combatants. The enemies have dropped their guns, and are cautiously, almost nervously, walking towards the Americans with their hands up, fright evident on their faces. This is the moment when the ethical high ground of the good soldier is cast aside in favor of raw, visceral emotion. Here emotion trumps order. Instead of following the presumed rules of good conduct in battle, the American soldiers shoot the unarmed individuals in front of them, though they posed no evident threat. This could constitute murder, because in that moment, their opposing forces may not have been classified as combatants, and only combatants can be legitimate targets. In that moment, ethics and code of conduct are disregarded. These soldiers are motivated by human emotion, propelled by the carnage that transpired on the beach prior.Though this does not go unnoticed by Captain Miller, there is no mention of it