Summary
- Hacksaw Ridge is a unique war movie that celebrates the preservation of lives rather than bloodshed, focusing on the heroic efforts of pacifist Desmond Doss.
- Doss spent a grueling 12 hours on Hacksaw Ridge, saving the lives of 75 people, including his captain, with his acts of bravery as a combat medic.
- Doss deflected enemy grenades and sustained injuries but remained at the top of the cliff, refusing to leave until all injured soldiers were brought to safety.
The heroic efforts of pacifist Desmond Doss are chronicled in the biopic Hacksaw Ridge – but just how many lives did Doss save, and how long did he spend on the battlefield? Hacksaw Ridge is a very different kind of war movie in that it revolves around a conscientious objector who refused to pick up a gun and shed blood. Doss became a decorated war hero by saving lives, not by taking them. For his heroism at Hacksaw Ridge, Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman.
Most war films celebrate the bloodshed required to gain victory on the battlefield, but Hacksaw Ridge instead celebrates the preservation of lives. Doss was dead against violence ever since he nearly killed his brother during some childhood roughhousing, and he refused to use a firearm because he nearly shot his father when he drunkenly threatened his mother at gunpoint. But there’s more than one way for a soldier to prove their mettle, and Doss made his way into the history books by saving dozens of lives at Hacksaw Ridge.
Desmond Doss Was On Hacksaw Ridge For 12 Hours
The battle at Hacksaw Ridge, on the island of Okinawa, is ed as one of the most brutal battles of the Second World War. It was a close combat skirmish involving heavy artillery, and thousands of American and Japanese soldiers lost their lives. Merely surviving the battle was an impressive enough feat, but Doss managed to save dozens of his fellow soldiers’ lives along the way. He deflected enemy grenades, ultimately sustaining a nasty injury in one of the grenade blasts, as he made his way to wounded soldiers who needed his help.
Many of Doss’ fellow troops were fleeing from the battle and making their way down the cliff. But as long as there were still men fighting on the battlefield, Doss remained at the top of the cliff to perform his duties as a combat medic. Throughout the battle, Doss went in and out of the warzone, bringing back injured soldiers with each trip. All in all, Doss spent a whopping 12 hours at Hacksaw Ridge before being taken back down the cliff (via NPR).
Desmond Doss Saved 75 Men While Working As A Combat Medic On Hacksaw Ridge
During his grueling 12 hours at Hacksaw Ridge, Doss saved the lives of 75 people – including his captain, Jack Glover. After being shamed and ridiculed by his fellow troops for his religious beliefs and his objection to violence, Doss was suddenly being lauded by those very same men. In Terry Benedict’s documentary about Doss, The Conscientious Objector (upon which Hacksaw Ridge was based), Glover said, “He was one of the bravest persons alive. And then to have him end up saving my life was the irony of the whole thing.”
Source: NPR
