Posts Tagged ‘World War 1’

Movie Review – Gallipoli (1981)

In today’s movie review we’re taking a look at Gallipoli, a 1981 Australian film that focuses on two friends who enlist in the Australian Army and are sent to the Gallipoli Campaign against the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey).

As we know from our history books, the Gallipoli Campaign was designed to have Allied forces invade and capture Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire so that the Russian Navy would have a clear path from the Black Sea into the Mediterranean.  That part of the Ottoman Empire was a critical chokepoint against the Russians.  The Gallipoli Campaign lasted from April 25, 1915 until January 9, 1916.  The campaign was a serious failure for the Allies and cost the lives of over 56,000 soldiers.

Gallipoli (1981) – movie poster

Directed by Peter Weir, Gallipoli stars Mel Gibson as Frank Dunne, and Mark Lee as Archy Hamilton.

Gallipoli begins in Western Australia in May of 1915.

Gallipoli (1981) – (c) Paramount Pictures

Archy Hamilton (Mark Lee) is an 18-year-old sprinter continually being trained by his uncle, Jack (Bill Kerr).  When he’s not training to be a champion sprinter, Archy works on a cattle ranch.  One day Archy is challenged to a race by fellow cowboy Les McCann (Harold Hopkins).  Archy is forced to run barefoot across a desert while Les rides his horse bareback.  Although Archy wins the race, he badly damages his feet and faces disapproval from Uncle Jack. Read more…

Movie Review – The Blue Max (1966)

Today we’re going to review The Blue Max, a 1966 film about a World War 1 German fighter pilot eager to shoot down 20 enemy aircraft and earn the prestigious Blue Max medal, the highest military honor in the Kingdom of Prussia.

The Blue Max (1966) – movie poster

Directed by John Guillermin, The Blue Max stars George Peppard as Bruno Stachel, a young fighter pilot who will risk it all to shoot down enemy aircraft.  His aggressive actions earn him a negative reputation amongst his fellow pilots, but his success makes him a hero in the eyes of the commanding generals.  Co-starring in the film are Jeremy Kemp as Willi von Klugermann, the squadron’s commanding officer, James Mason as General Count von Klugermann, Willi’s uncle, and Ursula Andress as Kaeti, the general’s wife and a woman who has affairs with some of the pilots.

The Blue Max (1966) – (c) 20th Century Fox

The Blue Max begins in 1916 as German Corporal Bruno Stachel (George Peppard) is one of thousands of infantry soldiers fighting in the trenches on the Western Front.  He knows that fighting in the trenches is a losing battle.  One day he looks into the sky and sees two fighter aircraft fighting each other.  Suddenly Bruno is inspired to join the air service and become a combat pilot. Read more…

Movie Review – Paths of Glory (1957)

One of the negative stereotypes of World War One was that of high-ranking “armchair” officers who would seek further advances by slaughtering their own soldiers in suicidal missions.

Although that has been an issue throughout the history of warfare, it was more of a factor from the stalemates on both the Eastern and Western fronts.  When no army could push forward and gain an advantage, some officers were more prone to taking daring risks and sending their soldiers on perceived suicide missions.  The theory was that the greater the risk, then the bigger the reward.

The 1957 film Paths of Glory deals with a general who orders a suicide attack, all in the name of glory for himself.  When some of the soldiers fail to carry out the attack, they’re put on trial for cowardice, an offense punishable with the death penalty.

Paths of Glory (1957) – movie poster

Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory stars Kirk Douglas in the role of Colonel Dax, commanding officer of the 701st Infantry Regiment.  Supporting him in the film are George Macready as Brigadier General Paul Mireau, Ralph Meeker as Corporal Philippe Paris, and Wayne Morris as Lieutenant Roget.

Paths of Glory (1957) – (c) United Artists

Set in France in 1916, Paths of Glory begins with a voiceover describing how Germany and France went to war, and the stalemate that lead to trench warfare.  In a chateau, Major General Georges Broulard (Adolphe Menjou) informs his subordinate, Brigadier General Paul Mireau (George Macready), that the French Army is poised to launch a major offensive in the near future.  To spearhead the attack, General Mireau is assigned to attack and capture a heavily defended German position nicknamed the “Anthill.”  Mireau is hesitant as his forces have already suffered heavy losses in recent fighting, and they’ll surely lose many more attacking the heavily fortified “Anthill.”

General Mireau’s attitude against the attack suddenly changes when General Broulard informs him that a successful attack against the “Anthill” would essentially mean a promotion to a desired position within the army.  Mireau rethinks the attack and now believes that his soldiers can succeed in attacking the “Anthill” and holding it. Read more…

Movie Review – Sergeant York (1941)

Today we’re taking a look at Sergeant York, a 1941 biographical film about Alvin York, a simple man from Tennessee who achieved combat glory in World War 1 and became a hero, earning himself the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Sergeant York is a patriotic film that was a smash hit with the audiences.  The film continued to receive attention after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and a fresh wave of American patriotism.

Sergeant York (1941) – movie poster

Directed by Howard Hawks, Sergeant York stars Gary Cooper in the lead role of Alvin York.  Supporting him in the movie are Walter Brennan as Pastor Rosier Pile, Joan Leslie as Gracie Williams, and George Tobias as “Pusher” Ross, a soldier from New York City.

Sergeant York (1941) – (c) Warner Bros.

Sergeant York begins in 1916 in the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee at a place called the Valley of the Three Forks of the Wolf.  This is a small mountain town somewhat isolated from the rest of the United States.  When news breaks in the country, it’s several days before the residents in town learn about it. Read more…

Movie Review – The Dawn Patrol (1938)

When looking back at the battles during World War 1, many people are aware of the countless slaughters as men were forced to go over the top of the trench and straight towards the enemy’s trenches.

This was a continual problem as the generals and commanders fought to find a way to break the stalemate.  The generals would form a battle plan, and those orders were passed down the chain of command to the battalion commanders, the platoon leaders, and ultimately the soldiers themselves.  No matter how pointless or suicidal the plan sounded, the men were expected to attack when ordered to.

Of course, it wasn’t only the soldiers in the trenches who had to deal with the orders from generals who were safely positioned far from the action.  This was also a problem for the bomber and combat pilots as well.

The 1938 film The Dawn Patrol addresses the problem of generals issuing orders and continually sending inexperienced pilots into dangerous situations.  The squadron commanders were forced to carry out those orders, knowing that many of the replacement pilots would be killed.  The 1938 version of the film is a remake of the original version released in 1930.  From what I understand, most of the dialogue is the same between the two versions, and most, if not all, of the flight scenes were taken straight from the original film.

The Dawn Patrol (1938) – movie poster

Directed by Edmund Goulding, The Dawn Patrol stars Errol Flynn as Captain Courtney, the leader of A Flight.  Co-starring in the film are Basil Rathbone as Major Brand, the commanding officer of the squadron, and David Niven as Lieutenant Scott, one of the pilots in A Flight.

The Dawn Patrol takes place in 1915 at a Royal Flying Corps‘ airfield in France.

The movie begins with an action scene showing British combat pilots in a dogfight against the Germans.  We later learn that two of the British pilots, new replacement pilots in the squadron, were shot down and killed.

The Dawn Patrol (1938) – (c) Warner Bros.

Back at the airfield, Major Brand (Basil Rathbone) is the commanding officer of the 59th Squadron.  He’s been under increasing pressure by headquarters to have his pilots produce better results on their missions, or he’s going to be transferred to a less important position.  Major Brand is nearing his breaking point as he has already lost 16 pilots in the last two weeks, nearly all of them replacement pilots with little to no flight or combat experience.

A Flight returns from its dawn patrol and lands at the airfield.  Flight leader Captain Courtney (Errol Flynn) and his good friend Lieutenant Scott (David Niven) have survived the mission, along with Lieutenant Hollister (Peter Willes), another experienced pilot, but they lost two of their replacement pilots.  Hollister is shaken up as one of the pilots that was shot down and killed was his best friend.  When Courtney tries to talk to Hollister and boost his spirits, it only makes him more depressed. Read more…

Movie Review – Wings (1927)

Today we’re taking a look at Wings, a 1927 silent movie that tells a story of two rivals who fight over a woman, join the Army Air Service and become pilots, and later fight in World War 1.

Wings (1927) – movie poster

Directed by William A. Wellman, Wings stars Clara Bow as Mary Preston, Charles “Buddy” Rogers as Jack Powell, Richard Arlen as David Armstrong, and Jobyna Ralston as Sylvia Lewis.  Gary Cooper has a brief role as Cadet White, and El Brendel plays the role of Dutch-American Herman Schwimpf.  Music for the film was composed by J.S. Zamecnik.

Wings begins in a small American town in 1917.

Wings (1927) – (c) Paramount Pictures

Jack Powell (Charles “Buddy” Rogers) is an average guy who knows how to work on cars and he dreams of one day flying airplanes.  His neighbor Mary Preston (Clara Bow) is in love with him, but he rejects her advances.  When he repairs his car and renames it “Shooting Star,” he drives away and asks Sylvia Lewis (Jobyna Ralston) to go with him for a ride.  This move annoys David Armstrong (Richard Arlen) as he was trying to romance Sylvia. Read more…

Movie Review – Hell’s Angels (1930)

One of the fascinating aspects of World War 1 was the rapid advancement in technology and tactics used in what would ultimately become modern, mechanized warfare.  Between 1914 and 1918, military aviation saw tremendous leaps and bounds as armies recognized the true strengths and advantages of air power.

Released in 1930, Hell’s Angels takes a look at World War 1 combat pilots, from their life outside of the combat zones to the harrowing missions themselves.  This film follows along as two brothers and their friend all join the air service, two of them for England and one for Germany.  We see them go through training, fight against a Zeppelin during a night time bombing raid, go on a dangerous bombing mission in a captured German bomber, and then become captured and face death after being branded as spies.  Before the war and between the combat missions, the two brothers fight each other for the love of a woman.

Hell’s Angels (1930) – movie poster

Directed and produced by Howard Hughes, Hell’s Angels stars Ben Lyon and James Hall as the British brothers Monte and Roy Rutledge.  Supporting them in the film is Jean Harlow as the young woman Helen.

Hell’s Angels (1930) – (c) United Artists

Hell’s Angels begins in Germany some time before the outbreak of war.  British brothers Roy (James Hall) and Monte Rutledge (Ben Lyon) are enjoying the company of their German friend, Karl (John Darrow), while they spend time in a tavern.  The guys tease Roy and try to get him hooked up with a young lady. Read more…

Movie Review – All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Today we’re kicking off a bunch of movie reviews dedicated to one of my favorite time periods — World War 1.

As you can guess by the title of this article, the first movie that we’re going to review is the 1930 classic, All Quiet on the Western Front.

Based on the classic novel by Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front follows a group of young men as they graduate from school, enlist as soldiers in the German army, and then experience the various forms of horrors in warfare, from attacking an enemy’s position to starvation to the horrors of life in the hospital.  It’s a gripping story as the young men are faced with the challenges of staying alive and fighting “for the Fatherland.”

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) – movie poster

Directed by Lewis Milestone, All Quiet on the Western Front was produced by Hollywood legend Carl Laemmle, Jr.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) – (c) Universal Pictures

All Quiet on the Western Front begins in Germany as a group of boys finishes their final semester at secondary school.  As soldiers proudly march in formation through the town’s streets, Professor Kantorek (Arnold Lucy) gives the boys an impressive and patriotic speech about the duties of enlisting in the Army and fighting for their home, the Fatherland.  The students are impressed by the speech, and they believe in the glory and honor of serving in the German military.  The group of them promptly enlist and find themselves at a training camp. Read more…

Movie Review – The African Queen (1951)

When it comes to adventure with dangers and peril around every corner, one of the best films is 1951′s The African Queen.

The African Queen is set in German East Africa in August / September of 1914, the start of World War One.  Back in those days, much of Africa was still a wild area filled with hundreds of different tribes, some of them fighting one another, the colonial countries of Europe, and of course, the natural elements themselves from dangerous animals to treacherous geography.  For those people who wanted to fulfill their quest for adventure, that itch for exploration, or that desire to conquer the biggest of beasts on a hunt, Africa was the place to be in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The African Queen (1951) – movie poster

Some of those elements are brought to life in 1951′s The African Queen.

Directed by John Huston, The African Queen stars Humphrey Bogart as Charlie Allnut, a Canadian who pilots a small steamboat along the central waterways.  Katharine Hepburn also stars as Rose Sayer, a British Methodist missionary trying to help the residents in the village of Kungdu in German East Africa.  Supporting them is Robert Morley in the role of Reverend Samuel Sayer, Rose’s brother.

The African Queen (1951) – (c) United Artists

The African Queen begins around August of 1914 in German East Africa.  Reverend Samuel Sayer (Robert Morley) and his sister, Rose (Katharine Hepburn), are Methodist missionaries from England.  They’re established a small church in the rural village of Kungdu, but as we see, it’s a bit of a challenge for them to work with the local natives.

There’s a bit of a ruckus as Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart) arrives in his small steamboat, the African Queen.  Charlie is friends with the villagers and they welcome his arrival.  Charlie causes a bit of chaos though when he tosses aside his used cigar, something that the simple-minded villagers crave greatly.  This disrupts the Sayers’ church service and ends the service for the day. Read more…

Book Review – Harry Turtledove’s “The Great War: American Front”

When it comes to history, you could always go back in time and ask yourself “what if this happened?” or “what if that happened?” or “what if . . . ” anything.

In this case, author and historian Harry Turtledove, went back to the American Civil War and asked a “what if . . . ” question.  What if the Battle of Antietam (one of the bloodiest battles and a turning point of the war) never occurred?

The Battle of Antietam was the result of a Confederate messenger losing General Robert E. Lee’s Special Order 191, plans that detailed an invasion of the north.  A Yankee soldier discovered the lost battle plans, gave them to General McClellan, and General McClellan forced the Confederate to turn back south at the Battle of Antietam.

In his alternative history novel, How Few Remain, Harry Turtledove ran with the notion that General Lee’s lost battle plans were rediscovered by a Confederate soldier.  The Confederate army continued with General Lee’s Special Order 191, and through a series of events the Confederacy defeats the Union army and wins the Civil War.  The Confederacy remains its own individual country.

The novel How Few Remain takes that a few steps further and ultimately has the Confederacy gaining territory westward to the Pacific Ocean.  Later in the novel, a scenario known as the Second Mexican War takes place, pitting the United States against the Confederacy once again.  It’s mainly a defensive war for the Confederates this time, and with battle locations stretching across the country and foreign armies and navies joining in the fight, it’s a massive war.  The war ultimately ends badly for the United States, and they’re forced to surrender.

So why all of this talk about How Few Remain?

The answer is that The Great War: American Front is actually the second book in a large series of alternative history books starting with the Civil War and lasting through World War 2.

Unfortunately, I was not aware of the scope of the entire series when I began reading The Great War: American Front.  I knew that it was the first book of an alternative history series, but Turtledove has several series in part of this massive storyline.  It wasn’t until later that I learned that another book came before this one and helps explain a lot of the story.

The Great War: American Front starts with a prologue taking you to the ending of the alternate version of the Civil War.  It doesn’t go into a whole lot of detail (you’ll have to read How Few Remain for that information), but General Lee is finishing the Army of the Potomac in Pennsylvania in October of 1862.  United States’ President Lincoln is forced to the negotiation table to discuss the surrender of his country.  The Confederate States of America is officially recognized as an independent country. Read more…

Book Review — Erich Maria Remarque’s “All Quiet on the Western Front”

Today I had the pleasure of finishing what has been deemed by many as one of the greatest war books ever written, Erich Maria Remarque‘s classic tale, All Quiet on the Western Front.  Specifically, mine is the English translation of the German novel.

Primarily taking place in the French countryside and trenches used by opposing armies, All Quiet on the Western Front follows the story of Paul Baumer from enlisting in the German army near the start of the war to his tour of duty ultimately ending several years later in October of 1918.

In All Quiet on the Western Front, the readers are given a detailed look at the horrors of what faced the infantry soldiers during the first World War.  From machine guns to snipers to artillery to rats to starvation to the incredibly high death rates in the hospitals, life for the average soldiers was close to being a living hell.  Throw in the countless number of attacks and counterattacks across No Man’s Land, accomplishing little apart from killing enemy soldiers, and you get a better understanding of how little the average soldier’s life was appreciated.

The war zones of World War One were massive killing fields, slaughtering soldiers by the hundreds of thousands.  It was a blend of the classic style of warfare with million-man armies supported by artillery mixed with modern weapons such as the machine gun, poison gas, flame throwers, and airplane attacks.  Many generals and commanders learned the hard way that horseback cavalry and infantry assaults could easily be defended with a few crews manning machine guns.  Those soldiers who weren’t killed instantly by artillery shells or enemy attacks faced even more horrors from amputation-happy surgeons and deadly infections in their wounds. Read more…

Book Review – Barbara W. Tuchman’s “The Guns of August”

It’s easily argued that the events that took place in August of 1914 set in motion the next thirty years of warfare, literally changing the heart of Europe and many nations around the world.

The political assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb assassin, ignited a powder keg of tension and alliances that ultimately brought the European nations to war.

The Guns of August is an incredibly well-researched book that brings August of 1914 into new light, which I’m sure most of us have never really understood.  My own knowledge of World War 1 has substantially grown from this book alone, and this is just the first month of a war that lasted over four years and left more than 10 million soldiers dead.

This history novel takes you from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand to the mobilization of Austria-Hungary and invasion of Serbia, to Germany’s Schlieffen Plan and the Rape of Belgium and invasion of northern France, to the Russian attack on eastern Prussia.  The book ends with the First Battle of the Marne, letting the reader know that the Germans could be stopped but a Herculean effort and new tactics were going to be needed for either side to ultimately win the war — something that wouldn’t happen after another four years of bloody combat. Read more…