Film - essay

History 131: U.S. History since 1865

Quinney Summer Session II 2017

Extra Credit: Restrepo

“Soldiers themselves are reluctant to evaluate the costs of war, but someone must. That

evaluation, ongoing and unadulterated by politics, may be the one thing a country

absolutely owes the soldiers who defend its borders.”

—Sebastian Junger, Director of the film Restrepo and author

of the book War (2010)

Respond to the following prompt in 1-2 pages (~500 words):

Successive U.S. governments and American media do a great job of disconnecting

civilians from the reality of war, so that everyday life back home seems to exist on a

different planet than the war zones. But actually, they are not two worlds apart. Describe

the ways in which the documentary Restrepo was intended to help the viewer connect

with the American commitment to Afghanistan. In what ways, if any, did the film

persuade you that the war front and the home front are not so distant from each other,

after all? In spite of the government and the media’s efforts to disconnect civilians and

soldiers, are there any advantages to all Americans being more interconnected during

wartime? If yes, what are the benefits? If no, what are the costs?

The Extra Credit Assignment is due to Cougar Courses

before midnight (11:55 PM) on Saturday, August 12.