Historical Accuracies and Inaccuracies of Saving Private Ryan

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Another inaccuracy about the movie is the times of when the American troops battled or when they operated. For instance, the movie portrayed American troops traveling or battling during the day. That never happened. During World War II, American soldiers never traveled or fought during daylight. Doing so would make it easier to be spotted by the opposition[7]. Also, little things such as the portrayal of soldiers in battle scenes without buckling their helmet shows that even the most critically acclaim reenactments could have unrealistic flaws. Going to war without properly protecting yourself by unbuckling your helmet is extremely hazardous, irrational and simply unrealistic[8].

After watching all of Saving Private Ryan, I realized how much of a masterpiece this is. It reached my expectations in terms of entertainment, action, drama, and bits and pieces of comedy here and there. While researching how accurate the story was in relation to history, I came to the conclusion that Saving Private Ryan is historically accurate when it comes to the battle of D-day, tactics used by the opposition, location of where it takes place, and overall 1940’s vibe (weaponry, ships, and clothes). On the other hand, one inaccuracy of the movie is the story line. Instead of saying it is based on a true story, it is best to say it is inspired by one. Although the events taken place in the movie may be accurate, the actual storyline of trying to rescue someone is just for entertainment purposes, not history. Other inaccuracies include the time of day they battled or operated their next destination as well as the way they used their equipment while in battle. Other than that, I believe Saving Private Ryan is a great movie that reenacts history in a great way. Past veterans that actually experienced D-day can even say it is predominately accurate; however it may carry some inaccuracies. Overall, I recommend this movie to anyone, especially if there interested in historical moments such World War II.

Bibliography

Bastable, Jonathan. “Bloody Omaha.” In Voices From D-Day: Eye-Witness Accounts of 6th June

1944. UK: David & Charles, 2004.

Baumgarten, Harold. “The Landing: When Will I Die.” In D-Day Survivor: An Autobiography.

Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company, 2006.

Bodnar, John. “Saving Private Ryan and Postwar Memory in America,” June, 2001. The

American Historical Review.

http://www.historycooperative.org/journals/ahn/106.3/ah000805.html.

Webster, David. "The Story Behind the Movie – Historical Accuracy." Saving Private Ryan.

Parachute Infantry, 1994. Web. 02 Apr. 2015

Saving Private Ryan. DVD. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Dreamworks Pictures and Paramount

Pictures, 1999.

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