a true story inspired Steven Spielberg’s spectacular film

Steven Spielberg made We have to save the soldier Ryan, released in theaters in 1999, a classic war film while being inspired by a true story: that of the Niland brothers. These siblings of four young American men all served in the United States Army during the Second World War. Sadly, two died, and one went missing (before he was finally found after the war). Only one of them, Frédérick, a paratrooper in the 101st American airborne division, like the last surviving brother in the film, survived.

However, the script of Spielberg’s film takes a lot of liberties with the real siblings on which it is inspired. First of all, no squad was specially formed to save Frédérick Niland. However, he was able to return home prematurely thanks to the Sole Survivor Policy (a decree which stipulates that the last survivor of a family decimated during the war can return to his family). A Captain John H. Miller actually existed, but he did not die during World War II, and is still alive today. Then there was not just one Niland brother who survived World War II. Edward Niland was presumed dead while interned in a Japanese prison camp in Burma. He was released on May 4, 1945. Furthermore, We have to save the soldier Ryan contains several technical errors and historical approximations which have been, since the film’s release, pointed out by experts.

Synopsis – June 6, 1944, Omaha Beach. Allied forces land to liberate Western Europe from German occupation. At the same time, two of the four Ryan brothers (Matt Damon) died under enemy bullets, while another had already lost his life in New Guinea. The fourth parachuted into the Cotentin. When the Chief of Staff became aware of the situation, out of consideration for the mother of the four soldiers, he ordered Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) and his men a rescue operation for the last of the brothers, of whom there is no news until now. A perilous expedition will follow which sows doubt in the squad: is the life of a single man worth putting in danger that of eight others?