The prototype of 'Bloody Battle Hacksaw Ridge' is a soldier without a gun
The prototype of 'Bloody Battle Hacksaw Ridge' is a soldier without a gun
The war movie "Bloody Battle Hacksaw Ridge" was born in 2016. Unlike other war movies, this movie is about saving lives rather than killing. It presents the hero Desmond Dawes in different forms during the war. This movie is based on Desmond Dawes' real experiences on the battlefield of World War II.
Firstly, use the Bible as a weapon
Desmond Dawes was the only soldier on the battlefield of World War II who did not kill the enemy. He was an American soldier who received the Congressional Medal of Honor. Desmond Dawes was born in Virginia, USA in 1919. Dawes' father is a carpenter. In 1942, at the age of 23, Doss officially joined the military and became a soldier in the medical class.
Due to Doss himself being a devout Christian, he believed in his heart that weapons were tools for killing, so he refused to use them on the battlefield. He believes that the Bible is his own weapon. Due to his refusal to use weapons, Dawes was regarded as an outsider by other soldiers in the army, ostracized by his comrades, and even insulted as a "coward" and "scumbag". Despite being treated coldly by others, Desmond Doss persisted in fighting with Christianity as his faith and the Bible as his weapon. On the eve of the Pacific War, he was assigned to the medical unit of the 307th Infantry Division of the 77th Infantry Division.
In 1945, Doss' troops were ordered to attack the Hacksaw Ridge on Okinawa Island. The Japanese army was entrenched on this almost vertical cliff, where there were fortified bunkers built by the Japanese army. It is precisely for this reason that the US military is unable to advance here, resulting in significant sacrifices. The place where the US and Japanese suffered heavy casualties was the outpost of the Dawes Battle.
Secondly, the brutal Battle of Okinawa
The Okinawa Battle, known as the "Iron rainstorm", was known as the battle with the most casualties in the Pacific War of World War II. According to statistics, more than 100000 Japanese soldiers were killed or captured in this battle, while the losses suffered by the US military were not much less than those of the Japanese. The casualties of the US military also exceeded 80000.
On March 18, 1945, with the command of the US military headquarters, US fighter jets began to carry out air strikes on regions such as Kyushu and Shikoku in Japan, marking the beginning of this battle. During the war, the US military successively destroyed Japan's military defense equipment on Okinawa Island.
In April of the same year, the US military officially began landing in Okinawa. Under the oppression of the enormous military power of the United States, Japan was crushed by a series of failures. And Japan itself knows that it is not feasible to remain in a passive defensive state.
So, on May 4th, the Japanese army decided to launch a deadly counterattack, and the Japanese commander gathered all the troops on Okinawa Island. But before that, the Japanese army suffered serious casualties and had already lost its direction. This major counterattack is nothing but to make their defeat come faster.
On July 23, 1945, after several rounds of strong attacks by the US military, the war finally came to an end. In this battle, 50000 Japanese soldiers were killed or captured, and nearly 100000 indigenous people died in Okinawa due to the war.
On the American side, over 30000 soldiers have died. That is to say, Okinawa has an area of only 40 square kilometers, with an average of at least 4500 casualties per square kilometer. On average, every two soldiers will kill one enemy. This battle is considered one of the most brutal battles in history.
The Okinawa War ended with a complete victory for the US military and directly opened the door for the US military to kill Japan. The Battle of Okinawa was the most important battle that led to Japan's surrender. This battle lasted for 82 days, from April to June 1945. The US military completely eliminated Japan's naval and air forces, laying the foundation for victory in World War II. Because a few weeks after the Battle of Okinawa, the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, ultimately leading to Japan's surrender.
3、 The Angel of Hacksaw Ridge
At first, the American attack failed and they had to retreat, but he did not follow his comrades down and left him alone on the dangerous battlefield without weapons. What Doss can do here is to use his own body to drag his comrades one by one to the edge of the cliff, and then put them down. He saved 75 people.
One of them had his legs blown off and was shot in the chest, and he was abandoned by medical staff. Dawes saved him and put him under the cliff. In the end, he successfully survived. The kind Dao Si not only saved his comrades, but also saved the injured Japanese soldiers. This involves a lot of risks, as Japanese soldiers are likely to take him for a ride.
Dawes' heroic act of saving people later earned the respect of all soldiers. They no longer mocked Doss, but regarded him as the "guardian angel" in the hearts of soldiers. Before the battle began, some soldiers even asked him to pray, so he became a hero in everyone's hearts.
Why is he a hero? Because one time Dawes' leg was injured by a grenade explosion, he couldn't walk. He could only be carried away by his comrades on a stretcher. But when he saw someone seriously injured, he immediately rolled off the stretcher and gave the opportunity for treatment to someone else. This is the greatness of Doss, and this is also his faith.
There is another type of combat hero in the world that exists in different forms, which is what Dawes tells us through his legendary experience. Even though he has never killed enemies with his gun, he is still great because he is an angel on the battlefield. He is a soldier worthy of respect. His story of saving 75 people in a battle also witnessed the greatness of faith and how the Bible can truly be used as a weapon.
On November 1, 1945, President Truman personally awarded Dawes the Medal of Honor, the highest honor of the United States military. In the end, Dawes became the first soldier during World War II to refuse to use weapons, but still received the highest honor without killing any enemies.
The war brought both success and immense pain to Doss, as it caused him to lose one lung and five ribs, leading to the development of tuberculosis after the war. With the death of this war hero in 2006, he ended his legendary life.
complimentary close
The director of "Hacksaw Ridge," Mel Gibson, mentioned Dawes in an interview. He said the story of Desmond Doss is incredible, he is the pinnacle of heroism. When faith in one's heart intertwines with national wars, it becomes the most difficult problem in the world. Hacksaw Ridge is not a religion, but a strength within a person's heart. This person wrote a unique legendary life because he persisted in his beliefs and was unwilling to kill others. He is Desmond Dawes.
Bloody Battle: Hacksaw Ridge introduces the prototype character's legendary life as a World War II hero
The Bloody Battle of Hacksaw Ridge is adapted from the true experience of the first level military doctor Desmond Dawes during World War II. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for saving 75 lives in the Battle of Okinawa. Desmond Dawes was a devout Christian, a conscientious objector (in the United States, those who refuse military service for moral or religious reasons are known as conscientious objectors, such as boxing champion Ali), an American special forces corporal, and a legendary hero of World War II.
Desmond was tried by a US military court for not wanting to bring a gun to the battlefield, but in the end he insisted on staying in the army and became an unbeatable unarmed military doctor with strong willpower. In the most intense Battle of Okinawa in the Pacific theater, Desmond saved the lives of 75 comrades on a cliff in Okinawa with bare hands, braving the relentless bombardment of the Japanese army, and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He is the only American soldier in history to receive this medal without killing any enemies.
Childhood faith
Desmond didn't look like a child with some special talent when he was a child, nor did he expect to become a hero in the future. However, Desmond did learn some valuable things during his childhood. On the ship heading towards the Pacific battlefield, Desmond recalled several past events that shaped his thoughts and also influenced his military life.
In 1919, when Desmond was born, his parents hung photos of the Ten Commandments of the Bible and the Lord's Prayer in their house. Desmond often drags his chair and steps on it to look at these photos. Although Desmond didn't understand the meaning of these paintings until he grew up, he was obsessed with religious images such as "Cain and Abel sacrificing to the Lord" and "Cain killing Abel". Desmond recalled being deeply shocked when he saw the photo of the sixth ring - Cain holding a stick and standing next to his brother Abel's body. Desmond firmly believed that this painting made him decide never to harm others.
When Desmond reached school age, he was sent by his parents to a church school founded by the Seventh day Adventist Church. The students here often help their teacher Miss Neil Cartman with some cleaning work. Once, it was Desmond's turn to clean the classroom. Desmond hurried home and didn't wipe the blackboard clean. Miss Caitman noticed that Desmond was lazy, so she said to him, 'Desmond, no matter what, if you don't take it seriously, there's no point in doing this.' Desmond felt ashamed and carefully wiped the blackboard. The teacher's words left an unforgettable impression on him for a lifetime. Whether in the factory or in the military camp, it always pushes Desmond.
Quickly, Desmond suffered two serious injuries but miraculously recovered, which made his faith even more devout. Once, while helping his family fetch milk, Desmond's hand was scratched by a glass bottle. The doctor believed that his hand was useless, but his parents kept praying for him and helped him move his fingers. As a result, Desmond miraculously recovered. After finishing, Desmond fell off the wall again and broke his leg. The doctor believes that Desmond's leg is infected with bacteria and must be amputated. Desmond persisted in praying every day and applied hot compress, finally overcoming the injury once again. Desmond recalled that both of his recoveries were blessed by God, and he believed that as long as you never give up, miracles will happen.
A troublesome soldier
Miss Nell Kaitman, Desmond's most beloved teacher, went to China as a missionary, so Desmond once dreamed of becoming a missionary. However, when Desmond was 18 years old, the US government conscripted him into the military. Desmond did not escape. He thinks this is an opportunity to serve the country and God. Because Desmond believed in the Sixth Commandment (not to kill anyone), the recruiter registered him as a conscientious anti war fighter and assigned him to work at a shipyard in Newport News, Virginia. Two years later, the Second World War broke out. Although the United States did not participate in the war at that time, Desmond had a premonition that he would eventually be sent to overseas battlefields. So Desmond participated in medical training to ensure that he could become a non combatant when he went to the battlefield.
On December 7, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into the war. The following year, Desmond enlisted in the active duty United States Army and came to South Carolina for military training.
However, Desmond soon became the most troublesome soldier in the barracks. Desmond refused to train on Saturdays because he is a member of the Seventh day Adventist Church (which considers Saturdays as a Sabbath and holds religious activities such as preaching and gatherings on this day in anticipation of Jesus' arrival). Although Desmond extended his daily working hours as compensation, he was unable to gain the understanding of other soldiers.
Desmond believed in the Sixth Commandment and believed that all killing was wrong, so he refused to eat meat and carry firearms. Before each training session, Desmond would read a small Bible, which was a wedding gift from his newlywed wife. Every night, when the soldiers began to rest after a hard day's work, Desmond still knelt on the bed and prayed to God.
Desmond's behavior is not in line with American military culture, and his piety is seen as a joke by rough and vicious American soldiers. Many soldiers thought Desmond was a coward afraid of death, ridiculed him, embarrassed him, and even threatened to kill him. The officers also have headaches. They brought Desmond to a military court on charges of "violating military regulations," but the military did not dismiss the soldier who did not carry a gun or eat meat. Despite facing various obstacles and doubts, Desmond still trains diligently. He eventually managed to stay and became a military doctor.
Legend of the Battlefield
Soon after, Desmond was sent to the Pacific battlefield. In the battles of Guam and Leyte Island, Desmond began to prove his extraordinary courage and perseverance to his comrades. He disregarded the Japanese artillery fire and tried his best to rescue every wounded soldier. No matter how dangerous it is, Desmond can try to drag the wounded back to the barracks. On Leyte Island, soldiers were horrified to see a Japanese sniper aiming at Desmond, but they were trapped in trenches by Japanese firepower and unable to cover Desmond.
However, a miracle happened and the Japanese sniper never fired. Several years later, an American missionary told this story in Japan, and the audience happened to have Japanese snipers. Then he admitted to the missionary that he could have fired at the time, but for some unknown reason, there was a problem with the trigger. As Desmond repeatedly proved his bravery, the soldiers finally began to respect, appreciate, and trust him.
It is now April 1945, and World War II is coming to an end. The Pacific experienced its most brutal battle - the Battle of Okinawa (with over 230000 deaths on both sides), which was the last battle before the United States entered Japan. Desmond's 77th Infantry Division was ordered to capture a cliff about 120 meters high, which was strategically important and could divide Okinawa into two. On the morning of April 29th, soldiers from Company B were ready to go, bowing their heads and waiting for Desmond to recite the Bible and pray. Then, they attacked the cliff together with Company A.
Company A took the lead on the cliff, but suffered heavy casualties and was forced to retreat. B Company had to undertake the cliff attack mission alone. However, when night fell, Company B ultimately emerged victorious, with no fatalities or injuries. The soldiers believed this was Desmond's prayer.
However, on May 5th (which happened to be Saturday, Desmond's busiest Sabbath of his life), the Japanese began a fierce counterattack, with artillery fire firing heavily at Company B, causing hundreds of casualties. B Company had to retreat to the bottom of the cliff, leaving only wounded soldiers, Japanese soldiers, and Desmond on the cliff. Gunshots and bullets kept coming, and Desmond risked his life to save the injured American soldier because he couldn't give up his faith.
Desmond was alone, with only a rope and a tree stump at the edge of the cliff at his disposal. Over the next 5 hours, he picked up the wounded one by one and struggled to lift them to the bottom of the cliff. Desmond doesn't remember how many American soldiers he saved. He just kept praying to God that he could save one more person. Later, the army chief believed that Desmond had saved 100 people, but Desmond was very humble and said he had only saved 50 people. So in the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor in the United States, he took the average of the two and set it at 75 people.
Desmond's legend goes beyond that. On May 21st, Desmond braved gunfire to rescue a wounded soldier. Due to being pursued by the Japanese army, he and three other soldiers were forced to hide in a cave. Desmond finally waited until night, but while covering for his companions to escape, he was injured in both legs by a grenade explosion. Desmond didn't want his companions to get involved, so he waited for another five hours in the cave until reinforcements arrived. When Desmond was taken out of the cave, he found another soldier who was seriously injured. Desmond immediately rolled off the stretcher and asked the medics to help the soldier first. Then Desmond and another injured soldier supported each other and limped back. At this moment, the bullet flew over and Desmond protected his companion with his arm. The companion was hit by the bullet and seriously injured.
The war finally came to an end, and Desmond prepared to return to the United States for treatment, only to find that the small Bible given by his fianc é e was lost. The soldiers of Company B climbed up the cliff again and scattered their search until they found this precious Bible for him. On October 12, 1945, President Truman invited Desmond to the White House and awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor. President Desmond was praised for being a true American hero who served his country, his fellow citizens, and God in a great way.
This year, the movie "Hacksaw Ridge" will recreate the legend of Desmond Dawes. At that time, we can see Desmond on the screen.