In times of war, soldiers always have orders they must follow. Without orders, soldiers lack a sense of guidance and are thrown into a state of chaos. However are orders the only thing that soldiers must follow. In my opinion there is something more. Soldiers must also fight with their heart. By simply following orders they’re nothing more than mindless zombies. In WW2, many of the German officials during the Nuremberg Trials, stated that they were just simply following orders. However, this does not justify the devastating actions they committed against the Jewish Population.  Just following orders is wrong and a true soldier must have heart when in the battlefield. 

       In Saving Private Ryan, Captain Miller along with his squad perfectly exemplifies what it means to be a true soldier. Following orders, Captain Miller leads 8 men into France to search for Private Ryan who is to be sent home due to the loss of his three brothers. But for Captain Miller, simply following orders was not enough. Along with his team he engages in several battles to ensure the survival of the American Army. I was also impressed with his philosophy that for every life that he loses, even his own, thousands of lives are saved. He is a man that focuses on the big picture, and instead of following orders, he uses his better judgment to help soldiers and prevents them from dying. 

        A true soldier is defined by his actions on the battlefield not by his ability to complete his mission. Captain Miller didn’t just save Private Ryan, he used his military skills to suppress the German and prevented them from hurting American troops in the future. His tendency to never give up at all costs is shown at the end when he continuously shoot a pistol at a tank. I honestly though that he caused the tank to explode but that’s not possible. However, that scene greatly depicted his will power and his justification. 

Source: Saving Private Ryan