The Execution of Private Slovik (1974)

The Story of His Life and Death

Private Eddie Slovik was the only Army deserter to be shot in WW II, the first since the Civil War. This TV film is a dramatization of the events. [No mention of the soldiers who were executed for murder or rape.] The red keystone patch on the shoulders identify their outfit. In reality, the firing squad had no regrets about their job, or so the books say. The beginning spends time on the details of the execution, slowing the pace. Then there are flashbacks to Slovik's past. Time in jail made him 4F, the war made jobs plentiful. Eddie tells of his bad luck and his petty thefts; he hung out with a bad crowd. A good job and a marriage changed his life for the better. But change is the only constant in this world. The need for recruits caused the draft board to revise the status of now married Eddie to 1A, and he was inducted. [Since this happened after he changed jobs could someone have arranged this in revenge?]

Slovik got 17 weeks of basic training in Texas. He and the others will be sent to a replacement depot ("repple-depple"). Eddie is unhappy and wants a discharge. No luck; he will be shipped overseas. Under shellfire Eddie is separated from the others, and stayed with Canadian troops. Eddie loses his ammo, and his nerves cause a problem. He writes a confession and gives it to an officer. The process begins: Slovik is sentenced to be shot. Unlike many others, his sentence will be carried out. A colonel offers him a chance to get his sentence suspended if he returns to the line. Eddie refuses and makes the biggest mistake of his life. The medical report finds him healthy and sane. Slovik is found guilty, the three ballots agree on the sentence. The reviews of the sentence do not recommend clemency. His death is needed to set an example to the many other soldiers who were separated or thought of doing it. [This film ignores the Battle of the Bulge and the worries it caused.]
Most soldiers train with a unit and there is a bond between them. The replacements often had no chance to become acquainted. Stories about wartime tell of replacements whose names were unknown during their short life in battle. Experience is always important in life.
This story is slow-paced with maudlin sentiments. Its too long by 30 minutes. The team of Levinson and Link went on to create many hit shows. What was the purpose of this 1974 film? It was made just after our Vietnam War finally ended. May 29, 2008

Very enlightening movie indeed!

When I first saw The Execution of Private Slovik on television March 13, 1974, I was impressed by it immensely. I saw it again on televion in 1984, then more recently obtained VHS. It is a very enlightening movie, as it is eloquent of the disadvantage of a nation's going to war. Yes, World War II WAS a just war, so drafting young men, discharging them very sparingly, prior to end of tour of duty, assigning as many as possible to front lines and refusing requests for transfers to rear area, and yes, court-martialing and sentencing to terms of years at hard labor those who run away either to stay away or to avoid hazardous duty, all were justified. BUT-- with the policy of clemency having been adopted over the years, and death sentences for deserters nearly always modified, it WAS anomolous
to shoot Private Eddie Slovik! Because of his situation, of his having served two terms in a Michigan reformatory and thus initially 4-F, and wife Antoinette's becoming epileptic and unable to work, the movie DOES reveal that SOME sort of concession should have been made to Eddie Slovik! Either he should
have been GRANTED dependency discharge, OR, when his request was denied, be reassigned to a rear area in order to be able to come home and provide for Antoinette, OR, when THAT was refused ALSO, be granted clemency. Indeed, there were various scenes which corresponded to the book, that showed that the United States was not about to make ANY concession to Eddie Slovik! Prominent was Antoinette's visit to the Red Cross, where the woman who took her case said there was nothing that she could do even though Eddie supplied the three affidavits, as instructed by his SUPPORTIVE commanding officer (who did not appear IN the movie). So, I enjoyed the movie all the way through, and am convinced that the United States made FOUR mistakes, first of DRAFTING him even though he had no chance of becoming a model warrior, second of denying him the depenency discharge that wife Antionette tried to obtain for him, third of refusing transfer from the line, which he later sought, finally of shooting him! Mercifully, THE LAST-NAMED mistake has NOT BEEN REPEATED SINCE! April 9, 2007

Slovik faced death with certainty & acceptance

My father was a WW2 Vet. If I was a male, I probably would have been drafted into the Viet Nam war. But I am female, and the conscientious Objectors were part and parcel of my collegiate aged generation. I do not believe Slovik was a 'whiner' or a coward. He faced death with certainty; front lines meant, as the movie portrayed 'uncertainty' of 'not knowing'.. so when he was made such a sick example of, by the military, he accepted being shot by his own American army as his plight, and, he took and accepted this more than anyone in my generation would have, or since.
There were no demonstrations against war in WW2, as there were about Viet Nam. His past petty theft time in jail for 5 yrs, has zero to do with his heart. He simply did not want to KILL another human being. He was no coward.
TO KILL is not courage. To NOT kill and and face death with no redemption of living IS courage. He turned the other cheek. He, prayed to have strength spiritualy and sought the denomination of his catholic faith, and asked for a preist... he, exemplified the kindest, most courageous of all.. to face that which was so unacceptable, to the US army in a wartime era, where noone questioned the military, their means of attack, or murdering other mother's sons. So, we hear... 'freedom is not free..'today and yesterday. It would be free, if HUMANITY did NOT KILL. If, all would give peace a chance. IF, there were talks over violent aggressive disputes, if people realized that war is not the answer.. that, our boys are being so brainwashed into murdering other 'mothers sons' and that we, are not 'so right' in war after war after war, especially NOW. My own father suffered the effects of WW2 greatly, with nightmares and violence upon me in my childhood; no one talked about this, no one helped our guys, no on had any answers. My generation, fortunately questioned these reasons, and.. defied them.
I am glad I am of my generation which after the sanitization of war, and the coming home to america to become one of the baby boomer generation, to later question all this stuff and now? I am seeing that each generation has a war to go to. The Gulf war, could have involved my then 19 yr. old son... but the draft was abolished. While, i recognize that we have so many wonderful things in this country, at this juncture, I question George W. Bush, and I question this war in 2005; and, I am in harmony with Malachy McCourt's views and most of Europes with this insanity.
Most, in the military DO NOT or cannot ask questions... period. They are trained to KILL, period. They are conditioned not to think but to DO as they are told, period. It is brain-washing in the name of 'freedom.' How free is that??? IF, our leaders sat at tables and spoke to one another about world's problems, and solved them with intelligence, integrity and PEACE, then innocent men, women and children would not suffer torn bodies, limbs, pain, starvation, murder, death, and untold years of misery to rebuild their lives if at all possible, all in the name of WAR.
it is very simple, if the world's leaders would abide by the most easiest of measures to give peace and peace talks a CHANCE. Call me a peacenik,if you wish, but war has never ever worked, and if you don't believe me, ask any son's mother, who's body has been shipped home in a box, and all she has got is a cloth fabric of the flag, for the life giving she gave to her child...and years of loving devotion she's provided along with her husband, to her SON.
Or, his pregnant wife, or his wife who has children minus a daddy, they'll never see..
OR... know.
So, what do we do? Huh? Are we so threatened that we cannot fight? slavik didn't fight back, and did it ever occur to anyone back then, that he in his so called cowardice, did not kill some other mother's son? I think so.
I am going back to the 60's....
"WHAT IF THERE WAS A WAR, AND NOBODY CAME??"
I still believe in this... and always will.
June 30, 2005

An ageless story of Generals and Grunts.

One and a half million men were rejected for psychological reasons during WWII. Hundreds of thousands suffered combat fatigue during combat.(Depends whose counting.) A confused General slaps soldiers in a field hospital for breaking under the stress of war. (We all learn that it is only a matter of time before all would break.) The medical men say breaking is normal and Generals say it is an act of cowardice. All this sound and fury boils down to this...Private Slovick the only man to be killed by his country for being human and too honest.
Not one man in the firing squad that was made up of his buddies missed when they fired. Think you would have? October 9, 2003

the execution of one miserable man

i'm an entusiast colector of world war II movies and i never see nothing like that before,i was a military at another country and another war{nicaragua}almost 25,000 of many young people die over there,there where many desertion too,but we never put nobody on front of fithing squad,i admire this private,because he prefer to die by his believe,than kill or be killed in action,in honor to the truth i think he was executed no by his desertion,but like he say by his criminal record,i do think ,the sistem was the one guilty because he recruit the man knowing his record.The problem is "the history don't make honor to desertors". November 19, 2001

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