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OK, I'll bite, why?

Well, it's revisionist history at it's worst.

The movie suggests that U.S. servicemen didn't understand why they were fighting the Nazis, couldn't explain why they were being killed by the thousands in Europe. They we're on some unexplicable errand, that's all.

It's a major swipe at a whole generation of servicemen who during WWII knew very well what was at stake and why their sacrifice was necessary.

That Spielberg should turn his considerable talents in such a disrespectful direction is beyond me.

Great Article. And say what you will about Saving Private Ryan, but there is nothing like the first 20 minutes of that movie in a theatre.

Every filled seat in the theatre I saw it in was transfixed, motionless at the sheer force of the depiction of the landings on Omaha Beach. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced in watching a movie.

I much better take (and much more in keeping with Steyn's thoughts expressed in this great article) was the opening monolog of Patton... one of my all-time favorites.

Thanks, Pokey, for the Steyn-ping! Great stuff... wouldn't want to miss a single Steyn.

You make a good point about the film. I would submit that it may have had some unintended (positive) effects, however. When my wife and I first saw it in our local theater, there was a row of noisy teens who immediately shut up when the carnage of the landing started and remained quiet for the rest of the film. After the film was over, we overheard one of them telling his friends that he would never make fun of one of those old guys with the veteran's hats again.

It's a major swipe at a whole generation of servicemen who during WWII knew very well what was at stake and why their sacrifice was necessary.

I tend to agree with you but I have my doubts as to whether everyone truly did know. Frank Capra made a series of "Why We Fight" films for this very purpose. IIRC, they were mandatory viewing for trainees.

J. Glenn Gray, a soldier who fought in Italy, wrote a remarkable book called "The Warriors", and tells the story of how one day in the Italian mountains he met a man who truly had no idea what the war was about.

"It was quite beyond me, even considering language, to explain to this man why Americans, British and Canadians were fighting in Italy against Germans with Italians on both sides," he said (I'm paraphrasing ... no book handy here). It wasn't as difficult as that for some, but I do agree that the vast majority knew why we were fighting.

As for Hanks, I'd like to think he made up for Saving Private Ryan when he did "Band of Brothers", which is magnificent.