Cross-posted at Daily Kos and Docudharma
Tonight on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS, Moyers will present excerpts for the documentary film, The Good Soldier.
As America prepares to observe Veterans Day and President Obama weighs sending more troops to fight in Afghanistan, BILL MOYERS JOURNAL broadcasts a powerful documentary about the impact on soldiers of learning to kill – or be killed. THE GOOD SOLDIER follows four veterans – one from World War II, two from Vietnam, and the fourth from Iraq – as they reveal how the experiences of battle changed their lives.
Watch a preview here.
The Good Soldier will be theatrically released, and will be available also on DVD.
A synopsis from The Good Soldier website, where you can also locate screenings, read reviews, and find further links:
Directed by Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys (DGA, Los Angeles Film Critics, and Peabody Award winners for Riding the Rails)
The Good Soldier follows the journeys of five combat veterans from different generations of American wars as they sign up, go into battle, and eventually change their minds about what it means to be a good soldier.
Here’s what Jason Albert of the Onion has to say:
"It’s hard to imagine watching a more affecting movie than The Good Soldier … because it may be as affecting a movie as I’ve ever seen. It took one seemingly simple question—What makes a good soldier?—and reduced the answer to its essence. That being, the ability to kill other human beings. Using the voices of veterans from WWII, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq, each gave this exact same answer, and they all spoke not only of their guilt and regret, but also of how at some point during their time in the military they needed to kill. Their reasons were different, but the training that gave them the skills and permission was not. I found it both hard to watch and hard to turn away from, and I know I’ll never look at the words ‘collateral damage’ in the same way again. Really powerful stuff."
Further comments from Jason Albert:
Reading over it, I felt like I might have implied that the soldiers featured were monsters. All of them were visibly haunted by their pasts, and have found ways to come to grips with the tasks they were required to perform. In some cases by regularly protesting, and in the case of Will Williams, by founding the Madison Area Peace Coalition. These were all good men who were deeply affected by the fallout from their wars, and each has done whatever they can to make a difference. I cannot get the image out of my mind of Iraq veteran Jimmy Massey standing alone on a street corner in North Carolina in battle fatigues holding a sign that said: ‘I killed innocent civilians for our government,’ as someone pulled up next to him and yelled: ‘You shouldn’t be protesting our government wearing that uniform!’ "
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Bill Moyers website also has a list of links of resources for veterans, and information and links for the Library of Congress’s Veterans’ History Project.
Another review, from The Good Soldier website:
An astounding film, "The Good Soldier" directed by Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys should be mandatory viewing for every President and member of Congress who is willing to make the decision to send men and women into war. In a culture where many veterans do not speak back home of what they witnessed and participated in battle, this film portrays five combat veterans from different wars ranging from WWII to Vietnam to the Gulf War to Iraq who emotionally lay it on the line. The sheer humanity of such inhumane situations is astounding and riveting and heartbreaking. The courage it takes for these soldiers to speak of their darkest moments and moral dilemmas with such brutal honesty is to be commended and brings up questions of our government supporting those they would send to die who did not die but came home. "Life is more difficult than death," one comments.
"War puts you at odds with what is right and wrong," one veteran explains. Their training as soldiers is to become killers without remorse, but as one asks, "How do you turn that off? One day you’re killing then the next you’re sitting at a bar in New York City." In wars where the enemy looks just like the innocent civilian, "collateral damage" leaves its mark on the psyche of the soldiers which haunts them for the rest of their lives. As one veteran who is a founder of Veterans for Peace states, "War is not the way to settle a disagreement."
- HipHamptons.com Must See Films: Hamptons International Film Festival – Conflict and Resolution Section
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Bill Moyers proudly calls himself a liberal.
I call him a Truth Teller, and a Patriot.
And if you miss the program on live tv, you can watch it after it has aired by clicking the first link in the diary.
thanks for the heads-up.
And a big shout-out to the PBS station here in Indianapolis, which airs Moyers at 2:00 A.M.
If our Military was to just do the job it is sworn to do, That is Protecting the United States of America, we wouldn’t need to train quite as many killers.
We not only trian killers, but indoctrinate our troops to thinking what they are doing is for their Country. When a soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan says they are proud to be doing what they are doing for our Country, it is a hint they fell for the propaganda.
But, Don’t blame them, because the American People have bought what the Civilain Leadership, and the Military have been selling as much as the soldier.
We could not have gotten to the point where we are, had not the people supported all phazes of it. From the huge Military, to the huge spending and the huge armed forces. All that does very little to protect us as Pearl Harbor and 911 proved, but yet we continue it’s support.
We must own at least ten thousand fighter jets that we paid for and maintain, yet on 911 they had a hrd time getting any in the air. The first two up went the wrong way, and the second two were to late. This should have been a hint of our protection, but was just overlooked.
Thanks, HD. I watched the first part. Hope to catch the entire show. This is so needed to be seen and appreciated and felt!
The Preamble to the Constitution defines the purpose of the Armed Forces – to provide for the common defense of the United States. It says nothing about using our armed forces to stand up distant feudal cultures at gunpoint. These deployments have nothing to do with protecting the United States.
CORRECTION to my second comment, about watching the program on-line:
Bill Moyers’ programs ordinarily can be watched on-line. However, for the program tonight, Moyers’ website says the entire program will not be available due to copyright. There IS an 11 minute preview that can be seen there, though.
The Good Soldier can be seen in theaters beginning November 11. Here is a link to find theaters where it is being screened. DVDs may be obtained, too.
You and I know that, but the people we voted into office make these decisions not us. So we have little say as we are finding out.
Other retaliating for Pearl Harbor, even WII had little to do with protecting the United States. Not one war since has had anything to do with protecting the United States. How many thousands of soldiers have died in all these wars, been wounded in all these wars, and thought they were fighting and defending the United States.
Yep, and the size of our armed forces can be drastically reduced, and should be drastically reduced. If we had smaller armed services, politicians would be less likely to misuse and abuse them for these unnecessary deployments.
Yet! Even Obama pledged to increase the amount of troops we have, and fully support our Military.
I know. The Sec. of Defense announced a few months ago about expanding the size of the armed forces.
We can be adequately defended by drastically reduced armed forces.
But, Democrats are beholden to the defense contractors, no, are puppets of the defense contractors. That’s because the populace allows it to be.
Campaign finance reform, anyone? term limits?
You made the altimate point, because the populace allows it.
Even Campaign Finance Reform or term limits, would only come if the people in mass demanded it. We are a divided country, divided by politics intentionally. As long as we are divided, and mass consensus is not forth coming we will never see either.
Both parties have been bought buy the Defense Contractors, but also buffaloed by the Military and what defense really means.
A army tank has never been used to defend the continental United States. Most of our navy, army, marines, and air forces are stationed overseas, protecting other countries. Our aircraft carriers sail the seven seas, but when they are here, all the planes are flown to land, so they are useless hulks 6 out of twelve months in a year.
Wednesday, Veterans Day, is the date of the release planned for The Good Soldier. Watching it last night, I saw a lot of pathos for the present day unemployed, as each ex-soldier mentioned that they had gone into service more from a lack of other prospects than for personal wish to ’serve the country’. The kind of wars waged in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan have taken away the pride a soldier could claim in WWII, that service had anything to do with our own country’s need for safety.
Here’s a photo of Jimmy Massey, one of the soldiers in the film, from the film’s press kit.
We think so much alike that it’s starting to worry me, iremember! ; – )
I’m pro-defense, and pro-military. That’s why I’m anti these foreign deployments. The deployments don’t keep us safer. They are putting us at greater jeopardy.
We don’t need a massive military to defend us from any military threats. A drastically reduced military is adequate for any military threats that exist or will exist. The bonus is not wasting our Armed Forces, not wasting our money, and not stirring shit in parts of the world which we poorly understand.
Exactly.
HD, what is REALLY sad is that the general public -including those serving- have no real idea of how, since Revolutionary War days- the government has CONSISTENTLY shit upon it’s veterans.
The phrase “and provide for the common defence’ has been twisted to reflect the interests of business in an empire.
A Peoples History of the United States by Zinn ought to be required reading before anyone enlists in the service(and I’m a Vietnam era vet saying that)
I think I’ve found a group of true beleivers, here!
Question: What do we do, as ordinary peon citizens, to get our troops out of these hellholes?
I don’t have an instruction guide called “How An Ordinary Peon Citizen Can Effectively Influence His Own Government”.
All I have is what I can think of myself.
I’ve tried having dialogue with Sen. Heavybotham’s policy advisor. He often replies to my correspondence, but the replies provide little actual dialogue. They contain red herrings which are sometimes entertaining, and verbal placebos that don’t work on me, and other artful and inartful specious reasoning.
I have no “carrots” to offer Sen. Heavybotham. What would they be? It’s not as if I’ll be dropping by the campaign office and putting a sack of money on the table.
All I’m left with are my little rights. Freedoms of speech, press, and assembly.
I also have a netbook computer, and a broadband connection.
Used effectively, they make a small bag of “sticks”. or a high tech soap box.
Five times now, I’ve multi-blogged live from the front porch at Sen. Heavybotham’s office. (Assembly, speech, and press.) You could call it a high tech bullhorn stuck right into Sen. Heavybotham’s botham. Yep, that’ll get ‘em listening, because how can they not hear, under those circumstances?
How do you good folks think an ordinary citizen, with an internet connection, can effectively put pressure on congress critters? to do that which results in troop re-deployment?
I’m proceeding on the premise that congress critters will do NOTHING without pressure.
I’m going to rake leaves for a few hours. Will check back later for replies!
It would be nice though if they did a little defending us.
I often wonder if all those troops had been here protecting us if 911 could have happpened.
In all the Soviet countries their borders were fenced, and armed guards stood watch. You needed papers and were asked what you were doing before just walking into those countries. They aren’t overrun by illegals, and don’t have the problems we do.
We don’t realize that on our thousands of miles of borders and shores, no one watches them. A nuke could be carried, or floated in, at any time and no one would see or know. Well intentioned people if seeing someone strugging to drag a crate ashore would probably help them.
It kills me when politicians and party types place fear that a weapon could be used on us. Yet do almost nothing to prevent it from happeneing.
“I’m proceeding on the premise that congress critters will do NOTHING ” ; you got that right as Congress has ceded all authority-even the ‘purse strings’ to the Executive Branch(see latest defense funding bill for the exemption).
Wish I could give you an answer but the only one I can think of is to take to the streets and push for an end to empire.
This guy thinks such could move Obama. BUT I disagree with him as there were plenty of people telling Obama he was going about ‘things’ the wrong way and he chose to listen to those Rahm represents and the clintonistas who sought a return to the ‘old ways’.
see reply to ubetchiam below ; – )
I read your link.
Same question, for you guys though.
It’s fine for us to bitch and moan amongst ourselves. And what does it accomplish?
If you don’t have any good ideas to answer my question, no prob. Chew on it. Tell me something after you’ve chewed on it. More heads are better than one, as they say.
Myself, I’ve marched around the Capitol. Been there, done that. Street protest is ok, but when the congress critters aren’t even in town on the weekends, what is accomplished? Now, if you got 5 million marching around the building 24/7 carrying torches and pitchforks, and blowing on ram’s horns and beating on drums, THAT might do something, eh? And if you can’t get 5 mil to do that, what effect does marching have?
I decided that instead of marching around the building, a better choice is to go IN the buildings where the problems are. So, I took a week, went to DC, and was a citizen lobbyist. I got appointments with senators’ policy poohbahs, and pounded on the table for redeployment.
Same question: How do you good folks think an ordinary citizen, with an internet connection, can effectively put pressure on congress critters? to do that which results in troop re-deployment? or results in anything else?
Help me! ; – )
They as You found out. They don’t listen or care what people think.
There is two things they care about.
Getting elected, and the money they get from contributors.
To get to them. Go to the media in their home districts, and to their campaign contributors.
Well, you still haven’t offered me anything in response to my question, which is fine.
Do me a favor, if you would, and chew on it, see what bubbles up, and let me know, por favor.
We all have internet connections. We spend time on the internet. How can we use these effectively on congress critters?
I’ve explained what I’m doing in comment #18. Any other ideas?