I love the film, too.
This story is a typical example of the leftist demoralization wing of their movement. Anything noble, inspiring, nationalistic will be denigrated if they can manage it.
They are despicable people.
True. The accomplishment should not be slighted. The fact is they were at the end of a long campaign season trying to get to the coast, they were in enemy territory, they were outnumbered by even these people's account two to one and the weather was turning foul. It was a desperate fight and one of history's great battles.