The Purple Heart

The Purple Heart (1944)
Director: Lewis Milestone




Q1: How does the film relate to the chapter in Foner?
A1: This film was made in almost the ending period of World War II. During World War II period, America joined the war after Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. After that, in World War II there were two groups of countries against each other: the Allies and the Axis. However, this film was a propaganda movie that emphasized the unreasonable and brutal mentality of the Japanese. This film was based on the historical event called “The Doolittle Bombing Action” in which the American attacked Japan. The main characters are eight pilots who failed in their mission in a crash-landing and are caught by the Japanese as prisoners. The Japanese set up a military court to judge these prisoners as having committed the crime of attacking non-military public and facilities in Japan. Moreover, a Chinese witness points out how brutal these American pilots are when they crash-landed in China since they also attacked the non-military public in China. However, this is just a lie that this Chinese witness provided. Moreover, the Japanese provided another fake video to accuse American pilots of crimes. After this fake evidence, the Chinese witness is killed by his son, who wants to defend the Chinese position in the war from his father’s betrayal. Therefore, the Japanese also force these pilots to tell a military secret, not surprisingly, these pilots still do not admit to committing these crimes, do not want to tell the secret, and are sent to the jail. In the jail, the Japanese try to monitor their conversation, and force them one by one to tell the secret by cruel torturing. After tortures, one soldier loses his mind, and one cannot talk, the one with plastic gloves seems has serious damage on his hands. However, as an American soldier, they still take their responsibility to resist the Japanese’s savagery, and protect the country’s military secret. Finally, the Japanese judges want to make a deal with these pilots; the deal is once they tell the Japanese about American military secret of airplane carrier, they will be sent to a military camp and escape from death. Consequently, all these patriotic pilots are not afraid of death, they unite together to refuse to betray their country, and do not expose the military secret to the brutal Japanese. No doubt, they are sent to be executed. In fact, these pilots are not afraid of death; after receiving the sentence of death, they all singing “Glory Hallelujah” when walking back to the jail in the end of the film. Indeed, this singing shows their patriotic hearts are be loyal to America, they are fearless of the brutal Japanese and death. In fact, this film did reflect some of Foner’s points of view in Chapter 22. First, when eight pilots are interrogated by the Japanese judge, they strongly present their points of view against Japanese manipulation of attacking non-military public, even in the scene that one pilot says “Even you kill us, other American will keep fighting until we win.” This is the best illustration of “freedom of speech”; these pilots are not afraid of the opposition. Indeed, they are the fighters who protect the “freedom of speech”. Foner points out that “President Roosevelt spoke eloquently of a future world order founded on the ‘essential human freedoms’: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of want, and freedom from fear. The four freedoms became Roosevelt’s favorite statement of Allied aims” (Foner 796). Indeed, these pilots embody the “freedom of speech” in the film by protecting the truth and against the unreasonable enemy during World War II. Second, Foner indicates that “Allied victory saved mankind from a living nightmare- a worldwide system of dictatorial rule and slave labor in which people deemed inferior suffered the fate of European Jews and of the victims of Japanese outrages in Asia” (Foner 837). In this film, these eight pilots’ courage reflects Foner’s point of being a savior to those victims in World War II, and is considered to be the representative of America’s role in World War II. They protect the “truth” of the Japanese’s unreasonable accusation, and sacrifice themselves in contrast to the brutal Japanese. In fact, these American pilots express the seeds of justice, and against the imperialism and tyranny just like America did during World War II. Third, there is a vivid scene in the film that after the Japanese know their victory in a certain battle, all the Japanese soldiers are waving their swords, and dancing with each other in the military court; moreover, the court is immediately canceled. This scene might connect to Foner’s point “Government propaganda and war films portrayed the Japanese foe as rats, dogs, gorillas, and snakes- bestial and subhuman” (Foner 822). Based on Foner’s point, this scene really describes the Japanese as an inferior and inhumane people, and how American disliked their enemy. Finally, the series of brutal tortures in the film illustrate what the Americans’ perspective of the Japanese during World War II; they think they are cruel and ferocious. Foner indicates why American thought about their enemy in this way “ In the United States, long-standing prejudice and the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor combined to produce an unprecedented hatred of Japan”(Foner 822). In my own observation, these four main points were what I found that related to Foner’s points in Chapter 22, since this is a propaganda film based on a true military events in China and Japan, this film might only cover a few materials and changes in American society during World War II period.

Q2: What can we learn about American culture during the time period by interpreting the film as a primary historical source?
A2:
The anti-Japanese mentality is obviously depicted through the whole movie. Indeed, in my explanation, in this propaganda film, the main point what director wants to promote is to describe how savage and unreasonable Japanese are, and indirectly unite Americans to be stronger during the wartime. In the film, there are many scenes and details describe the brutal and cruel Japanese. For instance, the series of tortures that makes American pilots become deaf, a lunatic, and seriously injured in the hands. Moreover, the most vivid scene in the film is that after the Japanese receive news of their victory; how brutal they are, they wave their swords, and dance to celebrate the victory; this seems they are advocating Japan to be an “armed forces” country. These instances in the film all embody how Americans thought about Japanese as savage and brutal people, and how Americans loathed them in interpreting their behavior in such unreasonable ways. During the wartime, what people need is a hero to encourage public to keep against their enemy. During World War II, it was not an exception. In this film, the director provided eight heroes to represent America against the Japanese tyrannical power. Although they sacrifice in the end, they do represent Americans’ idea and will oppose tyranny and imperialism, and indirectly encourage people at home to support their country. My final point is that the eight pilots, act as a sacrifice to keep America’s military secret do show and promote the country’s patriotism; at the same time this revels the strong patriotic mood in the United States during World War II period.

Q3: What does the film reveal about attitudes toward gender, class, and race?
A3:
This film really does not mention about issues or conflicts in class and gender, but focuses on the topic of race. Regarding race, this movie is no doubt a very racist film. First it is about the Japanese. Since the anti-Japanese mood was strong in the U.S. and the Japanese were the enemy in World War II opposing the Americans, again, the director depicts the Japanese as unbelievably brutal by examples of torture, and the unreasonable reaction of the victory in a battle illustrates how Japanese like to “fight” and advocate “armed forces”. Second, the Chinese are discriminated against in this film by the prejudice of depicting this Chinese character. This Chinese is a betrayer who tells Japanese the lie to slander American pilots. He wears old-fashioned clothes and acts like very timid and crafty in reporting the fake evidence to the judge. However, not every Chinese person was like this character during that time; that’s why another Chinese character, his son, appears to kill his father who betrayed the Americans. This really balances what Americans thought about Chinese, and eased the prejudice and what a typical Chinese should be in a negative way.


Q4: What was the most important scene in the film?
A4:
In my own observation, the most important scene is the final scene that when eight pilots know they are sending to be executed, they are all joyfully singing a song of “Glory Hallelujah”, and seem not afraid of death. Indeed, their reaction of joy is based on their successfully defending American military secret from the Japanese. In this aspect, they do defeat the Japanese, and enjoy their glory. Even though, they are going to die, they are honorable and are successful against Japanese imperialism. Therefore, in contrast, it emphasizes the Japanese failure in forcing these pilots; it also indirectly points out that “justice” and “truth” will win in the final moment. These eight pilots represent as America to fight against Japanese in World War II. Just like in the war, the military court shows how Japanese are brutal, unreasonable, and advocate “armed forces”. In the American perspective, they advocate “freedom of speech”, “the truth” and not exposing military secret only for their personal good. Indeed, the final scene presents America’s determination in against the Japanese and imperialism, even they will sacrifice themselves in death, they will keep fighting until they die, and protect the “truth” or I should say “freedom” against Japanese and imperialism. The final scene does a great job to present the main purpose of a propaganda film, and makes audience loathe the Japanese when these eight pilots are executed, at the same time, promotes these eight heroes gratefully in making a decision to fight against Japanese imperialism.