10 Dumbest Decisions In War Movie History
3. Glory - Charging A Heavily Guarded Fort Head-On
Venturing back well over a century, we have Glory. This widely acclaimed civil war film follows the first African-American regiment to enter combat. Led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, the heroism of this group compelled many other black Americans to fight for their freedom and even Abraham Lincoln himself praised their actions in turning the tide.
As the deadliest war in American history, the Civil War was a nasty combination of new technology and outdated tactics. Through the use of artillery and stronger firearms the older tactics of cavalry support and bayonet charges became brutally ineffective.
At the film's conclusion, the 54th Regiment attacks Fort Wagner. It's a futile effort and Colonel Shaw knows it. In a final noble effort, he leads his men along the beach, readying themselves for the frontal assault. Sadly, this band of brothers is about to be met with a cruel reality upon making this decision.
As we find out, the result is a bloody massacre. Robert is one of the first to fall, charging ahead of his men in a bid to raise their morale. The contingent is no match for the entrenched Confederate forces who annihilate the attacking Yankees. The inability to devise new methods of attack led to thousands of deaths across the conflict.