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HACKSAW RIDGE-A PUZZLEMENT (1 Viewer)

cinemiracle

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May 1, 2015
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Peter
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this film recently for the first time. One thing that puzzled me was: why didn't the Japanese cut the ropes hanging from the cliff.This would have stopped the Americans from climbing them and killing the Japanese? I know I am not the only person wondering this.
 

Mike2001

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Mar 25, 2014
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A google search produced the following quote by Jason de Charleroy:

According to survivors anyone sent up to the top of the ridge for reconnaissance prior to securing the nets that was shot and killed. However, in accordance with Japanese tactics at the time, once it was clear what the Americans were doing, the Japanese soldiers waited until a concentration of troops had made it to the top before they opened fire. This was to ensure the maximum amount of casualties and that's pretty much what they did every time the Americans tried to secure the ridge--up to eight or nine times.

As long as those nets remained, the Japanese suspected the Americans would keep using them and putting large numbers of troops right in their line of fire. Though not always followed, this strategy was used in the hopes that the Americans would get tired of the fighting and offer a negotiated peace. Instead it convinced the US that an invasion of Japan would be too costly and the atomic bomb should be used instead. For what is probably the most comprehensive view of the battle from the Japanese perspective, I suggest The Battle for Okinawa by Colonel Hiromichi Yahara.
 

Race Bannon

Supporting Actor
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Oct 21, 2015
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674
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Jay
Easier said than done anyway. The hill was smaller in real life than that massive cliff the movie used, so you'd be essentially engaging the enemy to come out and try to cut ropes.

And the movie made it seem like it as all Desmond, not only performing med-rescues by himself, but literally alone at the top. I do believe that firing positions were manned.

Soldiers managed to fight their way up even more sheer cliffs at Pointe du Hoc in Normandy. Those were literally cliffs and they had to fight their way up with grappling hooks to take out the big guns that would have slaughtered the invaders.
 

Atari

Stunt Coordinator
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Aug 23, 2017
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Edward
During World War I, Seargent York had a high kill count in battle because when the enemy would charge, he would shoot the ones at the back of the group first. He explained that when hunting turkeys if you shoot the front ones, the rest turn around and run away, but they keep coming if the leader is still alive.

A lot of battle strategy is to try and get your enemy to go where you have the best chance of taking them out.
 

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