One of the best analysis of this film comes from a YTer Rob Ager who runs a channel called Collative Learning which opened my eyes to the duplicitousness of this film. I encourage all to watch it.
I will summarize below 1/🧵
I will summarize below 1/🧵
https://twitter.com/MioHondaFan/status/1666280132611387393
The first 20 mins of the film, the Omaha sequence, is really the only thing about this film that gets praise bc of it's horrific depiction of combat. But the horror is one sided. For Americans death is gory, gruesome, and ghastly...but...
2/
2/
For the Germans its another matter. The film already begins its transition from an anti-war film, to a pro-war film and it starts with the death of our first up-close enemy (the MG gunner doesn't count being too far away) in this scene.
3/
3/
Up until this point, the deaths have been gruesome, ghastly, and gory. The men would lose limbs, they'd curse, they cry out in agony, they'd be begging for their mothers. It was hell on earth for these men and you witnessed their agony, frailty, and humanity.
4/
4/
But fast-forward to the two surrendering Germans (I'm guessing Czech by the accents?) they are shot and killed. No agony, no screams, no grunts or curses. They just fall like tin soldiers.
5/
5/
At this point the GIs move up and come up to the bunker. Here two Germans run out with their backs to the camera. They are cut down but when shot a puff of white smoke comes out. No blood, no screams, no pain. They fall down instantly with no movement.
6/
6/
Finally a flamethrower appears to alights the bunker. A GI shouts to his comrades "Don't shoot! Let 'em burn!" as we witness immolated bodies fall from the opening to their death, screaming, but the scream sounds more like squealing pigs.
Moral = Germans Aren't Human.
7/
Moral = Germans Aren't Human.
7/
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