American Sniper (crime, actors, Psycho, screen)

[Floorist]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

It's a generational thing too. During and after WWII snipers were regarded as cowards...German snipers that is. If Moore's uncle was killed by a German sniper he heard his whole life that snipers are the lowest of the low and he was just repeating what he heard since he was a young boy.

And Vietnam was not a place where snipers could be used a lot.

[jaypee]

Originally Posted by Floorist

And Vietnam was not a place where snipers could be used a lot.

Really? I thought many sniper units and formal sniper training were established by the Army and Marines during the VN war. Snipers thrive in an unconventional war.

[loves2read]

I would imagine there have been snipers as long as there have been handguns/rifles and before that with bows and arrows--
Daniel Morgan ran a group of shooters w/long rifles used as snipers in the American Revolution--the men were called "sharpshooters" because of how accurate their shots were--rifles were called long rifles because their barrels were longer than muskets and "rifled" w spirals vs smooth bore like muskets--and were thus able to shoot longer and more accurately...he played heck with the Britist at the Battle of Saratoga and other engagements--had bounty on his head I believe...

this is Wiki article about Hathcock--the Vietname era Marine sniper--
Carlos Hathcock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and if you remember one of the characters in Saving Private Ryan was a US sniper and there was German sniper who was character in Inglorius Basterds--
I can remember watching one episode of Combat when I was young (needless to say) and one of the ignored, new platoon recruits was a botonist (or something similar) who could recognize the plant material that did not "fit" within the normal tree canopy---supposedly he could see snipers' nests and thus help kill them before they could kill US soldiers...

My dad was medic in US Army in north Africa/Italian campaigns w/the Texas Infantry 36th division--
he said that medics were often targeted by snipers (illegally of course) so they often dirtied up their helmets and armbands...
just as officers often wore insignias in hidden ways--
their men know who they were so it only benefitted snipers to see their "bars" openly displayed...

this link is to section on one of the men in his unit--a friend of his actually named James Logan who won Medal of Honor--
also one who suffered from PTSD because he stayed drunk when he went home to sell bonds
note that part the reason he won his medals was for getting rid of a sniper
http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum...oh/mohloga.htm

[ChessieMom]

Originally Posted by loves2read

this is Wiki article about Hathcock--the Vietname era Marine sniper--
Carlos Hathcock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Actually Chris Kyle considered Hathcock to be the greatest sniper in history - not himself.

[Floorist]

Originally Posted by jaypee

Really? I thought many sniper units and formal sniper training were established by the Army and Marines during the VN war. Snipers thrive in an unconventional war.

In the jungle, you couldn't see ten feet in front of your face.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Those sniper movies with Tom Berenger are okay. The second one is my favorite.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbIXViyOl4M

[travric]

Re: Sniper use in war...

They were in the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea and Viet-Nam. Incredibly skilled at what they do as they kill in war. Thing is their 'one-shot' at the enemy was considered a shot a 'high-value' target such as a commander or those in heavy gun emplacements. The shots the snipers took enabled one's army personnel to survive and not to have casualties. So in that they helped save lives in the miserable thing we call war.

[jaypee]

Originally Posted by Floorist

In the jungle, you couldn't see ten feet in front of your face.

It's not all jungle fighting in the thickets.
The usual two prolific American snipers that Kyle is mentioned in the same breath as are: Carlos Hathcock and Adelbert Waldron -- accomplished snipers from the VN War.

http://www.wearethemighty.com/marine...am-war-2015-01

[loves2read]

Did anyone read/hear Bradley Cooper's response about "American Sniper"
Thought it was more than a little disingenuous for him to say that we should be thinking about the number of veteran suicides when we watch the movie and not use the movie as a critique or support of the war.

if they wanted to make a movie about PTSD and suicides among veterans I think they certainly could have found a script...and made a movie...but they didn't--

The fact that the title of the movie itself shrieks patriotism--"AMERICAN" sniper pretty much carries Eastwood's intent...by labeling it and its content/POV with an adjective that invites so many connotations that appeal to our emotions and make criticisms seem unpatriotic and mean-spirited Eastwood automatically implies that HE has the high ground in any debate...
and check out the art/poster--wrapping the sniper in the American flag--that is supposed to be "unbiased"???

Bradley Cooper needs to act and not enter the discussion forum IMO unless he wants to take the slings and arrows of those who disagree with his comments--

[theoldnorthstate]

Just saw the movie and it broke my heart. A good reminder why a soldier hates war.