The Greatest War Movies Ever Made, According to a Retired General

Having the General contribute to the Bulwark is one of your best decisions yet.

I swear I'd tune in to hear General Hertling read a grocery list...

Das Boot is an amazing film and another great depiction of leadership with Jurgen Prochnow's performance as the U-boat captain.

Remember when Secretaries of Defense weren't blackout drunks?

My father was at Normandy, and throughout my childhood, he would often wake up screaming and crying in the middle of the night. We kids would run downstairs to witness him sobbing in the arms of our mother. He never talked about, refused to talk about the war. I saw Saving Private Ryan in the theater in 2013, immediately went home and showered to wash the blood and pain out of my mind. And tried to comprehend what my father went through.

General Hertling, I very much appreciate hearing about what makes us better people. Much respect

Hertling is eloquent insightful and intelligent. Very glad he is staying around - hopefully for a long time.

I feel humbled every time I listen to General Hertling. Thanks The Bulwark.

My dad was a young first lieutenant who landed on Easy section of Omaha Beach the first wave of men to hit the beach . I went to Saving Private Ryan with him and after the movie I asked him what he thought. I didn’t expect much, because he never, ever talked about the actual fighting, but at first he said it was all Hollywood bullshit (I’m quoting) because nobody ever sent a squad of rangers to find a single private in the chaos of Normandy. I said yes, they needed a plot line. Then he said, and no officer had his insignia painted on his helmet, as Hanks did, since you were asking a sniper to shoot you, and that the beach didn’t look like Normandy. I said no, they filmed the landing scenes in Ireland. I then said, but what about the first twenty minutes? He turned and looked me in the eye and said, “well, son, that was pretty much what it was like.”

Sir, you should be the Secretary of Defense. A masterful podcast. Thank you both.