I attended an event on April 17^th. At the event, there were five alumni who gave us advice for sophomore year and beyond. In the event, alumni gave us a lot of advices. They wanted us to make more friends and to join more clubs because that can give us more opportunities to meet more people. There was one major advice which I could not forget. It was very useful for me because I did not have any plan of my major. One of an alumni told us that she changed her major a lot of time when she was in college. And she could not choose which major is suitable for her. Finally, she had a talk with an advisor, and the advisor gave her a lot of useful advices. Now, she is a very successful social worker. To conclude, this event gave me a lot of good advices, and I will use that in my future life.

In this week, I watched a movie named American Sniper. This film mainly discussed that Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind.

In my opinion, the best exemplar of leadership in the movie is in the beginning of the film. In the beginning of the film, Chris talked with a command, and command said he can do what he wants, if it is right. In my opinion, first of all, leader should trust soldiers entirely. If leader gives more power to soldiers, soldiers can pay more attention on the mission.

Now, I will have a brief introduction of this film. Chris Kyle is a U.S. Navy SEALs sniper. He is sent to Iraq after the September 11, 2001 attacks. His first kills are a woman and boy who attacked U.S. Marines with a Russian made RKG-3 anti-tank grenade. Chris is visibly upset by the experience but later earns the nickname “Legend” for his many kills. Chris’s second tour is promoted to Chief Petty Officer. Involved in a shootout with The Butcher, he helps in killing him. When he returns home to a newborn daughter, Chris becomes increasingly distant from his family. On Chris’ third tour, Mustafa seriously injures a unit member, Ryan “Biggles” Job, and the unit is evacuated back to base. When they decide to return to the field and continue the mission, another SEAL, Marc Lee, is killed by gunfire. Guilt compels Chris to undertake a fourth tour, and his wife tells him that she may not be there when he returns. Back in Iraq, Chris is assigned to kill Mustafa, who has been sniping U.S. Army combat engineers building a barricade. Chris’ sniper team is placed on a rooftop inside enemy territory. Chris spots Mustafa and takes him out with a risky long distance shot at 2100 yards (1920 meters), but this exposes his team’s position to numerous armed insurgents. In the midst of the firefight, and low on ammunition, Chris tearfully calls Taya and tells her he is ready to come home. A sandstorm provides cover for a chaotic escape in which Chris is injured and almost left behind. When Chris come back, he cannot adapt civilian life. And he is asked by a Veterans Affairs psychiatrist. After several years, Chris has wonderful life. One day, he goes to a shooting range for meet a veteran. However, he was killed by the veteran. An on-screen subtitle reveals: “Chris Kyle was killed that day by a veteran he was trying to help”.

In this week, I watched a film named Lone Survivor. This film Set during the war in Afghanistan, Lone Survivor dramatizes the unsuccessful United States Navy SEALs counter-insurgent mission Operation Red Wings, during which a four-man SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team was tasked to track down and kill Taliban leader Ahmad Shah.

First of all, I want to compare the interpersonal relationships amongst the team members in this movie compared to the Rangers in Saving Private Ryan. At first, team members in Lone Survivor and Saving Private Ryan all obey leader’s order and have no regrets. In Lone Survivor, when they were discovered by an elderly shepherd and two teenage goat herder, they wanted to kill them at first. However, they all chose that follow the order. In Saving Private Ryan, although the team members did not want to find Ryan very much, they all follow leader’s order. Secondly, two teams both could not accept new member, but they finally accept new member. Moreover, they all can sacrifice their own life for another members.

Now I will have a brief introduction of this film. In Afghanistan, Taliban leader Ahmad Shah killed over twenty United States Marine. Therefore, United States Navy SEALs sent a four-man SEAL to kill Ahmad Shah. At first, everything is all good; however, they encounter communications problems, when they inserted into Hindu Kush. Then, the SEALs are discovered by an elderly shepherd and two teenage goat herder. At first, the team members want to kill them, but after a debate the team decides to releases them and stop the mission. Unfortunately, the herders found Taliban soldiers and the SEALs are discovered by Taliban. After the drastic battle, all the SEALs members are die except Luttrell. Then, a local Pashtun villager discovered him and brought him home. The Taliban fighters arrive at the village to capture and kill Luttrell, but Gulab and the villagers intervene, threatening to kill the fighters if they harm Luttrell. The fighters leave, but later return to punish the villagers for protecting Luttrell. After the fight, American soldiers arrive and evacuate Luttrell back to base.

In this week, I watched a movie named Black Hawk Down. This film is adapted from the novel. This film narrates the events of a 1993 raid in Mogadishu by the U.S. military aimed at capturing faction leader Mohamed Farrah Aidid and the ensuing Battle of Mogadishu.

First of all, I want to discuss the tension between looking out for your comrades in arms and the additional casualties and deaths involved. In my opinion, even saving comrade is very important, but soldiers need pay more attention on their own life. Therefore, I believe that saving comrades should base on no life-threatening.

Now, I will have a brief introduction of this film. This story happened in Mogadishu. U.S. Army Rangers, Delta Force counter-terrorist operators, and 160th SOAR aviators have two mission. A mission is planned to capture Omar Salad Elmi and Abdi Hassan Awale Qeybdiid, two of Aidid’s top advisers. The other one is to help local civilians. Unfortunately, U.S. Army was surrounded by Somali Army because of U.S. Army’s insufficient plan and wrong information. The worst part is two Black Hawk helicopters was attacked by Somali Army; moreover, all officers and men were killed on a Black Hawk, the other helicopter’s driver was controlled by Somali Army. Army, who was isolated on Mogadishu street, was anxiously waiting for rescue, on the other hand Army was finding a way to rescue his teammates on the Black Hawk. As night falls, Army need confront 5000 Somali soldiers. After drastic battle, Nineteen American soldiers were killed; over 1,000 Somali militants and civilians dead.

In this week, I watched a movie named A Few Good Men. The film covers the court-martial of two U.S. Marines, Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private Louden Downey, who killed a fellow Marine, Private William Santiago, at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.

First of all, I will discuss the tension between the way civilians ultimately have control over the military and the risk if the military drifts too far from our nation’s values. In my opinion, military should have own order; however, they can not do whatever they want. In the film, commander Jessup thought that he did right thing, and if government arrest him, America will have dangerous. However, it is not a right thing which conforms with nation’s value. Government wants him to protect country.

Now I will have a brief introduction of this film. Naval lawyer Kaffee was commanded to defend Dawson and Downey who are arrested for Santiago’s murder. He came to investigate the case. And the base commander Jessup tell Kaffee that Santiago had conflicted with Dawson and Downey; therefore, they gave Santiago code red and caused the death of Santiago. The defense also suffers setbacks when a cross-examination reveals Downey was not actually present when Dawson and he supposedly received the “code red” order. Markinson reveals to Kaffee that Jessup never intended to transfer Santiago off the base, but commits suicide rather than testify in court because he feels that he had failed to do the right thing by protecting a Marine under his command. Galloway convinces Kaffee to call Jessup as a witness despite the risk of being court-martialled for smearing a high-ranking officer. Jessup initially outsmarts Kaffee’s questioning. Under heavy pressure from Kaffee and unnerved by being caught in one of his own lies, an enraged Jessup extols his and the military’s importance to national security, and eventually reveals that he ordered the “code red”. As he justifies his actions, Jessup is arrested; Kendrick would later be arrested for his perjury.

In this week, I watched a movie named Platoon. This film mainly narrates a soldier Chris Taylor has dropped out of college, enlisted in the U.S. Army and volunteered for combat duty in Vietnam.

In this film, I noticed that Barnes and Elisa were totally different. Barnes was cruel, and he looks like a murder machine. For instance, when the platoon entered a village, Barnes interrogates the village chief to determine if they have been aiding the NVA. Despite the villagers’ adamant denials, Barnes coldly shoots and kills the chief’s wife. He then holds the chief’s daughter at gunpoint, threatening to kill her as well if the villagers do not reveal what they know. Elisa totally disagreed with Barnes. He thought that solider must follow rules, and solider can not kill people for no reason. Although, Elisa and Barnes were both successful leaders, I prefer to Elisa.

Now, I will have a brief introduction of this film. There are two leaders Barnes and Elias who affected Taylor most in the platoon. They used to be best friends and fought together for several years. However, they have totally different personality and view of battle. This film mainly talks about Taylor’s four battle. The first patrol was a night, and the platoon was attacked by Vietnam. Taylor watched a solider who was died in front of him, and he was scared. In the morning of second day, they entered a Vietnamese village, and Barnes commanded soldiers kill people and fired the village. However, Elias strongly disagreed with Barnes and hoped Barnes can calm down. Therefore, they fought with each other. Upon returning to base, Captain Harris warns that if he finds out that an illegal killing took place, a court-martial will be ordered, which concerns Barnes who anticipates that Elias will testify against him. Once, platoon was attacked by enemy in jungle. Barnes orders the rest of the platoon to retreat and goes back into the jungle to find Elias’ group. Barnes finds Elias and shoots him, then returns to tell the others that Elias was killed by the enemy. While the platoon is extracting, they glimpse Elias, mortally wounded, emerging from the tree line and being chased by a group of North Vietnamese soldiers, who kill Elias. At the end of the film, Barnes was killed by Taylor.

In this week, I watched a movie named Fury. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened Army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and his five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines.

Then I will talks how Hollywood changes in their portrayal of the military. First of all, Hollywood beautify American soldiers’ figure. And American soldiers uphold humanitarianism. Secondly, Hollywood more focus on personality such as Fury. Moreover, modern Hollywood made deeper movie. For instance, at the end of Fury, Norman looks back at the carnage behind him: countless dead Germans, surrounding the battered and broken Fury. This sense reflects the failure of Germany.

Now I will have a brief introduction of this film. The Allies make their final push into Nazi Germany. Don “Wardaddy” Collier, a battle-hardened US Army staff sergeant in the 2nd Armored Division, commands a Sherman “Easy Eight” tank named Fury and its five-man, all-veteran crew. Unfortunately, tank’s assistant driver was died, thus a fresh recruit trained only as a clerk typist named Norman, is assigned as a reluctant replacement. Norman is angry about his experience, and he cannot accept his new mate. The crew is heroic except Norman. And Norman always put his mates into the border of death because Norman is shillyshally. Wardaddy is angered at his incompetence, and after the latter incident, he orders Norman to execute a captive German soldier. When Norman refuses, Wardaddy wrestles a pistol into his hand and forces him to pull the trigger, killing the prisoner and traumatizing Norman. Then Wardaddy leads tanks to search a German town. Norman meet a Germany girl, Emma, and fall in love with her. Then a German artillery bombardment strikes the town, and Emma was died. This event traumatize Norman once more. Wardaddy and his platoon are then ordered to hold some vital crossroads to prevent the enemy from attacking the Allies’ vulnerable rear lines. The crew initially wants to abandon the tank and escape on foot, but Wardaddy refuses to leave, obligating the men to stay and fight. During the battle, mates finally accepted Norman, and they give his nickname: “Machine”. Then all mates are died during the war except Norman.

In this week, I watched a movie named Saving Private Ryan. It’s a very famous movie and received universal critical acclaim, winning several awards for film, cast, and crew, as well as earning significant returns at the box office. I will give a brief introduction and the tension between following lawful orders and self-preservation in the military.

This is a very excellent film. And after watching this movie, I though a lot about tension between following lawful orders and self-preservation in the military. Admitted, following lawful orders is the first mission for a soldiers, but self-preservation also is very significant. Therefore, soldiers need protect themselves as far as possible, and do their best for the mission. According to the movie, If Miller did not follow the lawful order to find Ryan, German may occupy Ramelle and reverse the battle. Therefore, there is no absolute right or wrong, and following lawful orders and self preservation are relative.

Now I will have a brief introduction of this movie. In the begging of the film, an elderly World War II veteran and his family visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy, France. The veteran walks around the cemetery and, upon seeing one gravestone, collapses to his knees, overwhelmed by emotion. Obviously, this veteran is Ryan. Then the film flashes back 1944, the beginning of the Normandy Invasion, as American soldiers prepare to land on Omaha Beach. After the painful battle, General George Marshall is informed three of the four brothers of the Ryan family were killed in action and that their mother is to receive all three telegrams in the same day. Therefore, Marshall send Miller to find Ryan and bring him back. Moreover, Miller find eight soldiers and organize a troop to find Ryan. Eventually, they found Ryan, and they had been lost two soldiers during the mission. However, Ryan does not want to go with them, because he need guard the bridge. Then Miller and soldiers decide to stay here and help Ryan to guard the bridge. At the end of the film, Ryan are with Miller as he dies and says his last words, “James … earn this. Earn it.”

To conclude, this is an excellent movie. I had a lot of thoughts when I watched this movie. And in my opinion following lawful orders and self-preservation both are significant.

In this week, I watched a movie name A Bridge Too Far. This movie mainly tells the story of the failure of Operation Market Garden, thus the alliance of America and Britain which were suffered the most disastrous attack by Germany during the World War II.

Now I will have a brief introduction of this film. In the beginning of this film, U.S. General George S. Patton and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery have competing plans for ending the war quickly, and being the first to get to Berlin. Under political pressure, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower chose Montgomery’s Operation Market Garden. Browning let Taylor, Gavin, Urquhart, and Sosabowski to led different airborne troops. Montgomery planned to adopt leapfrog tactics which made American troops and British troops to attack Germany. In the begging of the battle, Allies sent 5500 Transport Planes, 2596 Gliders, 8000 Warcraft and Bomber, unfortunately Allies lost a lot of soldiers. After securing Nijmegen Bridge, XXX Corps waits several hours for its infantry to secure the town. Finally, Sosabowski’s troops enter the battle, yet they are unable to effectively reinforce the British at Arnhem. Although Operation Market Garden is determined by Montgomery and his High Command to be 90% successful, most of those who actually carried it out feel quite differently. Urquhart confronts Browning about his personal sentiments regarding the operation: does Browning think it was as well as Montgomery estimates? Browning’s reply contradicts his earlier optimism for Market Garden: “Well, as you know, I always felt we tried to go a bridge too far.”

There were four mainly generals who were Taylor, Gavin, Urquhart, Sosabowski. In my opinion, they were totally different. Taylor was a four star general of the United States Army and diplomat of the mid-20th century, who served as the fifth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff after having been appointed by President John F. Kennedy. General Gavin respected his soldier, and he can used different way to encourage his soldiers.  Moreover, I noticed that Gavin’s soldiers had close relationship. For Urquhart, I think he did not finish his mission very well during the Operation Market Garden. Because, he just moved from India during the war, and he does not know how to command airborne troops. Therefore, in the begging of the battle he was scattered with his subordinate. Then, his troops was surrounded by enemies because of his lead. Also he said that he has airsickness. Sosabowski was a Dutch, thus Browning did not pay more attention on him.

To conclude, I had a lot of thoughts when I watched this movie. And in my opinion a great leader need pay more attention on his soldiers. Because, soldier is a very significant part of a war.

In this week, I watched a movie of Gettysburg battle. This battle was the most significant parts of the Civil War. Not only, this battle is often described as the war’s turning point but also involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war and is often described as the war’s turning point.

Now I will have a brief introduction of this film. This movie mainly described the battle, which between Union and Confederate, of Gettysburg. This battle was commanded by Union Major General George Meade’s and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The Battle of Gettysburg was depicted in the 1993 film Gettysburg, based on Michael Shaara’s 1974 novel The Killer Angels. The film and novel focused primarily on the actions of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, John Buford, Robert E. Lee, and James Longstreet during the battle. This film is an extremely grand movie which is different from Glory. This movie successfully uses the variety of people and four hours to describe the five days’ battle. Moreover, I learned a lot of things from this movie. The movie told me that although these people had different opinion of the Civil War, there is no winner and loser during the war, because soldiers devote themselves to the country, thus every solider should be respect, they devote themselves to the country, and they all are immortal.

In this movie I noticed two people who was Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and Robert E. Lee. Robert and Joshua were both leaders. But they were different. First of all, Robert was the leader of southern Army, and Joshua was the leader of Union. Secondly, Robert graduated from United States Military Academy, which was a famously military school. However, Joshua graduated from Bowdoin university, and his major is literature which is totally different with military. Moreover, Chamberlain believed the Union needed to be supported by all those willing against the Confederacy. And he urged people follow their heart.

To conclude, Chamberlain and Robert both are successful leaders, and they both devote themselves to the country.