Les US Marines étaient à l’honneur à l’émission Concordance des temps. D’abord méprisé pour ses performances médiocres, le corps des Marines est devenu progressivement un corps d’élite, à la fois novateur et conservateur, habile à faire fond sur la propagande. Nicolas Aubin, professeur d’histoire et auteur du livre Les Marines, Histoire d’un mythe américain, revient sur la construction du mythe des Marines, devenus le sanctuaire de l’esprit américain.
L’histoire du Corps des Marines des États-Unis commence lors de la guerre d’indépendance, lorsque le Congrès crée le Corps des Continental Marines, le 10 novembre 1775. Ceux-ci sont rapidement démobilisés, dès 1785. Mais, l’épisode dit de la Quasi-guerre (contre la France) en 1798, oblige le Congrès à revenir sur sa décision, en votant un texte recréant un Corps de fusiliers marins le 11 juillet 1798. Ce Corps est alors placé sous l’autorité directe du secrétaire à la Marine.
Bien que dépendant sur le plan administratif du département de la Marine, il ne dépend pas de l’US Navy.
The Marines’ Hymn
Les US Marines à l’écran
Born on the Fourth of July
Oliver Stone
Tom Cruise
Film adaptation of the autobiography of Ron Kovic, dealing with his service in the Vietnam War, in particular his post-traumatic stress disorder and feelings of the betrayal of Vietnam veterans by the American government. Disabled shortly after friendly fire kills a young Marine, Kovic endures neglect at a VA hospital and becomes disillusioned. Being disgusted with the government, he joins Vietnam Veterans Against the War and protests at the 1972 Republican National Convention.
1989
A Few Good Men
Rob Reiner
Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon
Based on the play of the same name by Aaron Sorkin, this film follows the efforts of Navy lawyer LTJG Kaffee as he defends two young Marines undergoing court-martial for the murder of a third Marine. Ultimately, he uncovers a conspiracy to cover up the death and proves that his clients were scapegoats for some high-ranking officers. 1992
Flags of Our Fathers
Clint Eastwood
Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach
Based on the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers, the film follows Marines depicted in the photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima who survived the battle of Iwo Jima, and their subsequent lives. The actual battle is depicted in medias res through flashbacks. The complementary film Letters from Iwo Jima depicted the battle from the Japanese point of view.
2006
Full Metal Jacket
Stanley Kubrick
Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio
Based on the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford, this film portrays recruit training and the Vietnam War from the point of view of James “Joker” Davis.
1987
The Great Santini
Lewis John Carlino
Robert Duvall
Based on the novel of the same name, Marine fighter pilot LtCol Wilbur Meechum juggles success as an aviator with his failures as a father and husband. His son Ben’s struggle to win his father’s acceptance mirrors the author Pat Conroy’s relationship with his father, Donald.
1979
Gung Ho!
Ray Enright
Randolph Scott
The story is loosely based on the Makin Island raid in 1942. Led by LtCol Thorwald (based on Evans Carlson), the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion gathers volunteers for a mission to divert Japanese attention from the landings at Guadalcanal and Tulagi. Launching from the submarines USS Nautilus and Argonaut, they land on Makin and destroy the Japanese garrison.
1944
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison
John Huston
Robert Mitchum, Deborah Kerr
A marine and a nun form an unlikely friendship. The marine is shipwrecked on a Pacific island and the nun has been left behind there; the two come to rely on one another’s support as they evade the Japanese.
1957
Marines, Let’s Go
Raoul Walsh
Tom Tryon, David Hedison
This slapstick follows a group of Marines on shore leave in Japan, which subsequently get cancelled due to the outbreak of the Korean War.
1961
First to Fight
Christian Nyby
Chad Everett, Gene Hackman, Dean Jagger
Based loosely on the story of Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, a marine for his heroism in the Guadalcanal campaign in World War II is awarded the Medal of Honor, returns to the United States, and later returns to the Pacific War.
1967