After reading a book 'Saving private Ryan'.....

It starts off as a scene where an elderly Ryan visits the cemetary to pay a respect to Captain Miller. During World War Π on 6th June 1944, a massive American army went ahead with landing operations on the coast of France which had been captured by German. There were Countless flying bullets and dying companions in an instant. Even though just as if it was hell, Captain Miller and the companies survived. During a brief break, the headquarters of administration in the US army found out the fact that Ryan’s brothers had been all killed. A commander received this news ordered to save Private Ryan and Captain Miller and the soldiers were selected as a ranger corps.

Miller’s companions started to look for Private Ryan but there was no specific destination or information, it was just like ‘looking for a needle in a hay stack.’ In the meantime Private Caparzo was killed by a camouflaged sharpshooter. With a bitter grief for a company’s death, they kept going to complete their mission. It was quite hard to understand for them why they had to look for Ryan at all. There were heaps of people dying and they were struggling to survive. “Does only Ryan have parents?” There were growing complaints as time went on. Captain Miller who has to lead such soldiers was helped by sergeant Hovarth. And then they finally found a soldier who knew Ryan’s whereabouts in the middle of wounded soldiers.

They kept looking for private Ryan to complete the horrible mission as well as to get home safely. On their way to look for Ryan, they came by a fortress filled with Germans and they fought furiously and even lost a medic. Even though they eventually found Ryan, he told them he would not go home because he did not want to avoid danger by betraying his companions. Miller’s team were embarrassed with Ryan’s ridiculous comments and the situation was going from bad to worse. An emotional conflict was created in their mind between Captain Miller and Sergeant Hovarth. In the end, they made up their mind to stay with Ryan in order to fight the Germans and to go home after that.

They were preparing to fight a battle despite being inferior in military power and weapons. After a brief peace, finally they fought desperately against the German army. And… After the battle, they met their death one by one. Many lost their lives to save one person…. Captain Miller died with a word to Ryan “James… earn this. Earn it.”

I guess the main point of this book is here. Miller never asks for Ryan how to live. He does not preach what kind of life is wonderful and worthy. He only left one sentence. “James… earn this. Earn it.” There is no meaningless life to live. To live is so precious for everyone. And hundreds of thousands of youth sacrificing themselves saved the rest of the people at that time. We should appreciate them sacrificing themselves to make other people and descendants live on.

Our peace is not obtained for free. It is at a cost from lots of youth’s soul and blood. As a result we are living here. Sometimes we are complaining as if life is terrible and rubbish. We do not even realize the value of real life occasionally. But we should remember that it is today we waste those who died yesterday were eager for! Maybe in the end the stars and stripes mean that.