IN saving private ryan Upham was a coward for the whole movie. He saves a German soldier which leads one of his own comrades dead when he refused to do anything.
In return the German soldier Spared his life.
ANyway when he got the balls the German soldier said upham in a bad manner and upham shot him.
Now what the german soldier did in that room wasn't evil. He was doing his duty like uphman should have been doing his.
Was upham justified in shooting that German soldiers?
Military veternas are welcome to reply.
2007-01-17 14:16:31 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Kenneth, read this carefully and then watch that particular scene again. This issue was something that I talked with many people people about when the movie came out.
In a casting mistake by Spielberg's people, the man who Upham helped save earlier in the film and then later shoots is NOT THE SAME man as the one in the building who stabs the soldier and walks past a cowering Upham.
Yes they are both tall and have crew cuts. However, if you look closely you will see that the soldier in the knife fight had an SS unit's uniform on, not regular German army and he was a little more burly, while the other guy is a bit thinner and was a German army regular.
2 separate issues combine and make the end a bit confusing. Here are the relevant points.
1. Early in the movie the bookish, non war hardened Upham convinces the others to not execute the German soldier they had captured after a firefight.They let him go after having him promise he will just walk away from the war. (something like that)
2. Later in the movie, this soldier is part of the attacking force heading into the town that the Captain (Tom Hanks) and his men are defending. (The german soldier must have hooked up with that unit even though it wasn't his after being freed)
3. As the German's attack the town, it is this soldier who shoots the Captain. (which is symbolic, as they had let him go earlier). However, Upham doesn't see this because he is up in the building.
4. The scene where the Jewsih soldier loses the knife fight to the SS soldier while Upham is cowering on the steps. The SS soldier doesn't waste his time with Upham as he is not a threat. He just walks past him.
5. Americans win the fight and have prisoners assembled in front. One of those prisoners is the original German soldier who Upham helped free. Upon regocognizing Upham, this soldier says "Upham!" and looks happy to see his old "friend" that had saved his life earlier in the film.
6. Feeling anguish and guilt from letting a fellow soldier get stabbed in the building and feeling more guilt at seeing the soldier he helped spare return to fight them once again, something snaps in him as he realizes there is no room for compassion in war, and he just shoots him.
Was it right to shoot? Who knows. Probably not, but I do know one thing. The guy he shot was not the guy that spared him in the building. (but I understand why everyone thinks it is-they do look similar)
Please go back and watch that scene.
2007-01-17 22:44:35 · answer #1 · answered by stymie1970 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Was private upham justified in shooting that unarmed German soldiers?
IN saving private ryan Upham was a coward for the whole movie. He saves a German soldier which leads one of his own comrades dead when he refused to do anything.
In return the German soldier Spared his life.
ANyway when he got the balls the German soldier said upham in a bad manner and upham...
2015-08-05 21:42:34 · answer #2 · answered by Xever 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Upham Saving Private Ryan
2016-10-02 04:21:47 · answer #3 · answered by jest 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The German spared Upham because Upham fought to spare him from a summary execution when captured by the Rangers. In true Hollywood logic, of course, Upham would naturally run into him again. I don't think Upham was a coward, I think he was a geeky, green, pencil pusher, unfit and unprepared for battle. His fear during the climactic battle got the best of him, virtually paralyzed him. We've all felt that at least once in our lives. His shooting of the German was justified as an act of redemption for letting his friend die at his hands of a man he helped liberate. It was more a primal motivation than a moral one.
2007-01-17 14:37:38 · answer #4 · answered by douglas l 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Movies. Gotta love them. Yes he was justified. He was a Nazi soldier which made him an enemy whether he carried a rifle or not. Surrender in some situations is not allowed. Can't let him go to possibly kill another one of your soldiers.
2007-01-17 14:21:07 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Justified, not justified, it was a movie. But, when we watched it( I was in the Corps when it came out), we knew they made a mistake letting the German go. You knew he was going to tunr up again and later in the movie and kill one of the guys.
The shapshooter should have let him run off, and after Tom Hanks turned away, taken him out. What could they have really done.
2007-01-17 14:53:48 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
O saving private ryan....the movie
My relatives in Germany fought for mein fuhrer, one was a tank commander and he had the order of destroying the town and civilians in a Russian city, but couldn't do it, everyone has an emotional side whether they admit it or not
2007-01-17 14:47:54 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, Upham's actions were justifiable; they were in a war.
2007-01-17 14:21:49 · answer #8 · answered by Defcon6 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a fricken movie. I don't care if he shoots his dog and then lowers the flag to 1/2 mast for a full year, IT IS A MOVIE BONEHEAD!!
2007-01-17 14:33:38 · answer #9 · answered by tbird 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/zSA3N
Just checked my sources for the Abrahamic God..... Yep he approves. He is actually wondering why they did not kill all the babies and rape the virgins.
2016-03-28 07:21:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋