# Do you agree with the mission in "Saving Private Ryan"?  (open spoilers)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-agree-with-the-mission-in-saving-private-ryan-open-spoilers/690188>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 6, 2014, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-agree-with-the-mission-in-saving-private-ryan-open-spoilers/690188 "2014-06-06T12:22:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-agree-with-the-mission-in-saving-private-ryan-open-spoilers/690188/41 "2014-06-09T19:58:04Z")

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> [@msmith537](#):
>
> It was the decision to stay in Ramelle that became the suicide mission. Which is actually the part meant to demonstrate their heroism and sacrifice, since it wasn’t specifically part of their orders.

The ironic part of the film is that if it weren’t for Miller’s mission, Ryan’s _ad hoc_ squad may not have been able to successfully hold the bridge.

On the other hand, releasing Steamboat Willie instead of executing him (which many of Miller’s squad members wanted to do) did make things rather more difficult.

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-agree-with-the-mission-in-saving-private-ryan-open-spoilers/690188/42 "2014-06-09T21:47:06Z")

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If all of the sons of one family join up, one of them gets a desk job.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-agree-with-the-mission-in-saving-private-ryan-open-spoilers/690188/43 "2014-06-09T22:50:31Z")

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> [@Zebra](#):
>
> If all of the sons of one family join up, one of them gets a desk job.

That’s a good point. Was it ever said in the movie that Ryan was being discharged? Maybe he was just being reassigned to a safer military assignment back in England or America. He still would have been a soldier contributing to the war effort but he would be much more likely to survive the war.

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-agree-with-the-mission-in-saving-private-ryan-open-spoilers/690188/44 "2014-06-09T23:04:59Z")

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and you would never have to do that stupid mission.

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