Going back into history of WW2 and Vietnam. I've been absorbed with two odysseys of survival, resilience and bravery.
Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand (2010) is the true story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympian runner, who became a WW2 airman whose plane was shot down by Japanese. After 48 days of drifting at sea in a small raft with 2 companions (one died), his saga continued as he was captured and tortured by Japanese in various prison camps. Rescue came with the bombing of Hiroshima and the end of the war.
The other gripping portrayal, Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1999) a documentary by Werner Herzog, is the true story of Dieter Dengler, a Vietnam pilot shot down and captured by the Vietcong. Another horrific true story of torture, starvation, escape and rescue.
Both men survived to share their gripping portraits of bravery in war. And although their suffering continued through recovery, both learned to move on with their lives.
From both true tales, I came away with the yin/yang of the human experience: the absolute cruelty humans are capable of inflicting on others and the heroic strength and spirit shown by two heroes. However, Dengler pointed out, the real heroes are those who died.
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