Black Hawk Down

Based on actual events from that disastrous October 3rd day the U.S. sent a mix of 150 young Rangers and veteran Delta Force soldiers to fight next to one another against Mohamed Farah Aidid and his followers.

Aidid was responsible for intercepting International food shipments meant for Somali’s who were dying of starvations because of Aidid’s control over the food donations.

As part of a U.N. peace keeping operation the U.S. stationed their elite soldiers in “The Mog” and they were assigned to kidnap top lieutenants of the Somali warlord. This strategy was designed to completely stop the civil war of famine that washed over Somalia.

The strike was to take only 90 minutes and the U.S. was confident they could get the job done by themselves without the aid of an ally.

A huge fleet of Black Hawk choppers took off from the base to a target in the heart of the hostile Mogadishu district. What those soldiers didn’t plan for was a country full of thousands of angry Somali civilians that were armed and prepared to fight back because they felt America was intruding on their internal affairs.

The 90 minute mission would end up taking 18 hours and ultimately became a rescue mission instead of a kidnap mission. As the 150 Delta and Ranger soldiers flew into the city they were pelted with massive ammunition by the local civilians and they were successful bringing down several of the American Black Hawk choppers. Since no man is to be left behind the Delta’s and Rangers worked together to rescue those who were still alive in the downed choppers.

As a result of the new circumstances Ridley Scott shows us how scary, confusing and chaotic a war zone is. Several soldiers that are stuck under the carnage of their chopper, falling in and out of consciousness, end up finding themselves surrounded by hundreds of Somali’s wanting a piece of the American’s. Now all the American’s can do is attempt to fend them off with the weapons by their sides as they wait to be rescued, hopefully alive.

All downed Black Hawks were eventually attended to and checked for live soldiers. The October 3, 1993 kidnap attempt caused 18 soldier casualties and over 500 Somali civilians were killed.

The events of the film were so real and very gruesome. For those with the stomach to take on a real-life war will get a vivid taste for how awful it can be.

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