Private Ryan's Liberation of French Town Gets 1 Key Detail Wrong, Historian Says

Summary

• Saving Private Ryan
  Set in Neuville-au-Plain, the sequence accurately depicts what the fighting was like in the small towns of Normandy.
• The film incorrectly depicts the 101st Airborne at Neuville-au-Plain, when it was actually the 82nd Airborne that liberated the town.
• While most viewers may not appreciate this change, for those related to the men who fought as part of the 82nd Airborne, it can be an offensive departure from real history.

Saving Private RyanA World War II historian reveals that one important historical detail of the city's liberation scene was wrong. Director Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan In 1998, Tom Hanks' Captain Miller and his unit were freed when they embarked on a mission in occupied France to rescue the last surviving brother of the Ryan family. The World War II film was a hit and was widely praised for its depiction of the conflict, including the Omaha Beach sequence, but also for other sequences in the towns in Normandy.

in the last video for InsiderWorld War II historian John McManus analyzes the sequence in Ssaves Private Ryan which Miller's division relieves Neuville-au-Plain, France.

While the film is very accurate in its depiction of the city and the type of close combat that takes place there, McManus disputes film involving 101st Airborne Division at Neuville-au-Plain. According to the historian, it was actually a completely different unit that fought in this particular place. Check out his commentary and rating for the sequence below:

“Atmosphere. Buildings, destroyed stone architecture, lying trees, debris, rain. This is exactly the case in Normandy. Thus Neuville-au-Plain exists. It is about a mile north of Sainte-Mere-Eglise, which is more famous and was one of the first towns to be liberated in Normandy. You would have a lot of fights in the city and also outside the city, probably more than what you see here.

“What I don't like is that the soldiers pictured among the Airborne are from the 101st Airborne Division. In fact, the soldiers who fought at Neuville-au-Plain were from the 82nd Airborne Division, including Sergeant Niland, who was killed outside the town. I think it's kind of a disservice to the actual unit or the actual people who fight in it.

“I'll give nine [out of 10].”

Saving Private Ryan's Neuville-au-Plain mistake and the perils of changing history

Why Steven Spielberg's Airborne Unit Change Is “The Service”

In general, Saving Private Ryan It has been praised as an accurate depiction of World War II and the people involved in the war. Saving Private RyanFor example, the D-Day sequence so accurately depicted the chaos and horrors of battle that the US Department of Veterans Affairs set up a hotline at the time that veterans could call if they experienced PTSD while watching the film. Like any movie, the movie is not devoid of fictional elements for the sake of story, entertainment or convenience.

Average audience Saving Private Ryan What he won't know is that it was actually the 82nd Airborne Division that fought at Neuville-au-Plain. For the vast majority of viewers, this will not appear to be a bug and will not affect the viewing experience in any way. It is likely that the decision to deploy the 101st Airborne instead of the 82nd Airborne was just that. His accomplishments with the 101st Airborne and during World War II are best known.

For those with a background in history or who participated in World War II, this change begins to make more sense. McManus calls it “bad service“because The film depicts the true contributions of those who fought and died as part of the 82nd Airborne.. This can certainly be argued Saving Private Ryan It makes up for this by clearly depicting the horrors of war more generally to audiences and veterans, but McManus' comment highlights why the manipulation of historical details for entertainment can be controversial.

Source: Insider