Affix your Bayonets

We Were Soldiers was on tonight, a movie that makes me so angry and so touched to the core of my being at the same time. They even did a great job telling 3 main stories at once. The fact that at home wives stepped up to do the job the army didn't in delivering messages on bases, the fact that the North Vietnamese had the same feelings as the Americans, and same cause, and the fear and camaraderie of the pilots and the soldiers.

It is one the few movies that shows what happens before and after a major combat situation when good leaders are on both sides, and poor leaders as well. Although I may not believe in America as the greatest country ever and I will not salute the flag, I do acknowledge those who can be called warriors. Not those who blindly follow orders and have no honor such as mere soldiers, but those who would and do give their lives for that which they believe in, and those standing beside them. When all hope is lost, yet the will to continue on despite knowing that you will or more than likely will die arise within; is to me the most soul wrenching event. And although many movies can portray such heroics, the unfortunate truth is that most of those with that have passed on. It saddens me greatly to know that men of true honor, have become relegated to video games and movies, where sub par human beings can pretend to be them. I shall leave with the quote towards the end:

"I hope I can have forgiveness."
"For What?"
"For the fact that my men died and I didn't."

This was shown on both sides of the battle in the movie, and it could be surmised that if the two commanders had met in a time of peace they would have known each other on good terms. In times of war and battle our unfortunate sacrifice is the ability to truly know our enemy.

And go see Mongol.