Movie - The Lost Battallion

[muskrat89]

Anyone watched this? I know it‘s an American movie, but I just caught the last half of it on the History Channel. Overall, it looked like a pretty good flick.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

It was an average film. Ricky Schroeder did not too bad in it. The uniforms and stuff were horrible and it was pretty obviously low budget, but it wasn‘t atrocious like When Trumpets Fade.

 

[condor888000]

It was fairly good, not the best but not the worst.

 

[Evan]

nothing bad or good about it, just one of those so so flicks.

 

[sm0ke]

Is this a true story, or based on true events? (yes, I know the first world war was a real event... ) I‘ve caught bits and pieces of it on multiple occasions, but I‘ve never had the opportunity to watch it all the way through.

 

[mattoigta]

yeah sm0oke its based on a true story.

I liked it. I find the opening scenes with the trenches not close to gritty enough. And the constant attacks were repetitive - but then again it shows the attrition of the great war

 

[sm0ke]

Was also interesting to see how German Officers treated American POW‘s. There was a definite sense of chivalry and nobility. Large contrast to what is seen between warring parties today...

 

[Michael Dorosh]

The story of the Lost Battalion was probably one of the most famous stories to come out of World War One from an American point of view; a google search will yield you many sites. There have been a few books on the subject also. The movie seemed reasonably close to accurate to me, not being an expert on the subject.

SmOke, how would you know how warring parties today treat their prisoners? Cases of chivalry don‘t get reported in the news, and they don‘t get reported to higher command, either, because "fraternization with the enemy" is considered an offence in most militaries. Check out stories of the Christmas Truce in 1914 - the high command of both the British and Germans were appalled and forbade any such contact ever again. Nonetheless, troops on the ground often reverted to a "live and let live" policy with their enemies. The point being that this stuff was not reported in the news, but only made public knowledge by private recollections and publications after the war.

As for modern warring factions, you really have no clue (neither do I) how troops in Afghanistan or Iraq treat their prisoners. And you would not have seen any kind of public acknowledgement of chivalrous behaviour in 1918 such as was shown in the movie. Stuff like that is not often advertised.

 

[sm0ke]

You‘re right Mike, I haven‘t the foggiest idea how pow‘s are treated anywhere, anytime...only whats fed to us by our friends the media After re-reading my previous post I quickly realised one could immediately think I was eluding to the Iraq prisoner issue that‘s all over the news, and I do apologize, that wasn‘t at all the connection I was trying to make, and not the impression I was trying to give by any means. I could never criticise actions taken or decisions made by people in situations and circumstances I‘ve never been in, and hope to avoid.

As far as present/recent conflicts are concerned, I was referring to stories I‘ve read mentioning the execution of an American who fell out of a chopper in Afghanistan, or the parading of dead Americans in Somalia. Again, I agree we only see the negative, but there seems to be more hatred and anger that these actions are based on than anything else. Hatred seems to be the source for a lot of things going on in the world.

Sorry for the confusion, last thing I wanted to do was give the impression I know something I don‘t, or that I know more than I do.

 

[mattoigta]

If anyone is looking for it, I picked the DVD up at Best Buy for under 20 bucks.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Well, the dead Americans in Somalia and in Iraq are pretty infamous (the ones that hanged from that bridge) but I think they were mercifully dead, and not prisoners.

Just reading a book on the history of the Gurkhas. There was an occasion in Burma where a Gurkha battalion routed a Japanese unit, leaving behind many dead. The white officer in charge ordered the Gurkhas to bury the enemy where they had fallen, in narrow one-man slit trenches.

The Japanese were left for a couple of days at this point, and rigor had set in. So the Gurkhas - quite sensibly, to them - started cutting apart the bodies with their kukris in order to fit them into the slit trenches for burial. The British officer in command, also quite sensibly, to him - ordered them to stop and dig proper graves so that the bodies would not be desecrated.

Personally, I thought it was wrong to publicize photos of dead Iraqis, there should be respect for the dead no matter whom he fought for or pledged allegiance to. As you rightly point out, sadly, this is not always the case.

 

[Infanteer]

From most of the literature on the subject, repect for the dead, friendly or enemy, is one of the most important psychological factors in maintaining one‘s humanity in war.

 

[mattoigta]

The Lost Battalion is on A&E at 2pm today. (In Southern Ontario at least)

 

[Sgt_McWatt]

Ive seen that. I liked it because it was relatively un hollywood (in my opinion) There was some parts that weren't very good how ever over all its a decent movie.

 

[Dan Gerous]

I watched it in History class last year.  I liked it, but since it was for school we had to study it it took away from the experience for some of my classmates.  I didn't mind studying it because it interested me, but I know that some people didn't like it.  Overall a good movie, I've seen the book for sale but I didn't buy it because of lack of money.  Might be a good read though.  Anyone here read the book?

 

[Limpy]

One part I found interiging about the movie was the use of burning coffee grounds to create the illusion of a relaxing breakfast to lure the Huns out for a fight

 

[1feral1]

Ater a friend of mine in Kentucky recommended it, I went down to the local Blockbuster on President Avenue and hired the video. For a HBO type of flick, it wasnt that bad.

Cheers,

WEs