Research Paper on "Historical Accuracy of the Film Valkyrie Starring Tom Cruise"

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Valkyrie

Planning

The 2008 film Valkyrie starring Tom Cruise is a Hollywood version of actual historical events. As with any Hollywood rendition of a true story, the screenwriters and filmmakers feel they must extrapolate from and embellish actual historical fact to make for a compelling on-screen narrative. Even with a story as remarkable as that of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, filmmakers like Bryan Singer are not producing a documentary but a drama. Therefore, the central questions in this investigative research report are as follows: To what degree does Bryan Singer's 2008 film conform to historical fact? How accurate is the film in conveying not just the events of the foiled plot to assassinate Hitler but also the character of Claus von Stauffenberg? What elements did Singer get right, and which are alarmingly wrong?

Summary of Evidence

To accomplish this research goal, the first step must of course be to watch the film. Starring Tom Cruise, Valkyrie comes across as being far sillier than it should for a film about such a powerful, grave subject. The casting is terrible, but so too is the overall feel of the film. Instead of seeming dark and disturbing, Valkyrie comes across as being some kind of Bruckheimer-esque hero film. The accents are all wrong, too: As one reviewer for the UK Guardian puts it, "Von Stauffenberg's cohorts are played by British actors…who deliver their lines in English accents. The villainous Nazi is portrayed by German actor Thomas Kretschmann who speaks English in a German accent. And then - standing separate and apart - is Cruise himself, intoning his lines in pureblood American," (Brooks).Continue scrolling to

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Issues of language and accent aside, what did Singer do with the facts? After all, this research is not a film critique per se, but an analysis of the historical accuracy of Valkyrie. Therefore, while the initial portion of the research involves a close scrutiny of the DVD version of Valkyrie, the bulk of the planning phase involves investigating sources related to the history of World War Two. In particular, the historical research entails examining mainly secondary sources that are about the biography of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, and specifically about the story behind the attempted assassination and coup upon which Valkyrie is based. As Claus von Stauffenberg did not knowingly keep a journal, or at least one that has been made public or translated into English, secondary sources written by credible authors are the most reliable form of information on this subject matter. It turns out that although dialogue and specific situations were made up for the film, Singer got most of the facts right when presenting the plotting and execution of the attempted assassination of Hitler. Descriptions of the attempted coup by Baigent and Leigh; Craig; Hoffman; Housden; Jones; Thomas; and Vogel and Farrel all substantiate at least the skeleton of the Singer account of historical events.

Research therefore shows that Operation Valkyrie did proceed as Singer presents it in his film. Even the dates presented in the film correspond with the actual chronology of events. Moreover, the character of Claus von Stauffenberg might be poorly rendered by Cruise but biographical material shows that at least Singer and the screenwriters captured the man's motives and general character. Von Stauffenberg did have an eye patch and was emotionally committed to saving Germany from the tyranny of the Nazis. His wife is also portrayed as she is in biographical accounts of the family (Hoffman). Finally, the ancillary characters in the film including Major-General Henning von Tresckow (Kenneth Branagh); General Friedrich Olbricht (Bill Nighy); General Friedrich Fromm (Tom Wilkinson); Ludwig Beck (Terence Stamp); Major Otto Ernst Remer (Thomas Kretschmann) and a slew of others actually did exist and in the very capacity they were given in the film version. For example, some of these were on the side of von Stauffenberg (wuch as Henning von Tresckow) and others on the side of Hitler (Otto Ernse Remer).

III. Evaluation of Sources according to ORIGIN, PURPOSE, VALUE, and LIMITATION (OPVL)

Although a slew of sources was collected and consulted, two stand out most for their purpose and value in conducting an investigation on the historical accuracy of the film Valkyrie. Hoffman's Stauffenberg: A Family History is a scholarly biography of the Colonel. Published by the McGill-Queens University Press, the book's credibility is unquestioned. The author presents the material with thorough documentation of primary sources. The book includes valuable photographic material, too. The photos of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg are not altogether different from what Cruise looks like, although Cruise is undoubtedly a whole head shorter than the man he plays. The purpose of Hoffman's book is to use primary source material to compose a complete picture of the man behind Operation Valkyrie. Hoffman exposes the motives for Hoffman's risky endeavor, which ultimately resulted in his death and threatened the lives of his entire family too. Stauffenberg believed two central things that caused him to act as courageously as he did: one, that Nazi anti-Semitic ideology was immoral; and two, that Germany was destroying itself by continuing to condone the Nazi political campaign. For Stauffenberg, killing Hitler was indeed a national as well as an ethical duty, and this is exactly how Singer portrays his protagonist in Valkyrie. Because of its focusing almost exclusively on the life of Stauffenberg, Hoffman's book has the limitation of not thoroughly addressing contextual material. However, the value of the source cannot be underestimated. It is scholarly, credible, and necessary in evaluating the way Singer portrays his main character.

A second source central to this research is Housden's Resistance and Conformity in the Third Reich. Like Hoffman, Housden draws from primary source material and includes valuable photographic evidence that enhances the text. Housden includes direct quotes from Stauffenberg, which are crucial when comparing the film dialogue to the actual voice of the Colonel. The purpose of Housden's book is to expose the psychological forces at play. Therefore, Resistance and Conformity in the Third Reich is valuable from the perspective of gaining insight in the character of Stauffenberg and his cohorts, as well as their enemies. Unfortunately, the source is constrained by its narrow focus.

IV. Analysis

Valkyrie begins with von Stauffenberg in North Africa, where he was indeed stationed at the time. Moreover, the film opens with a close encounter with Hitler. This event actually did seem to take place, offering Colonel von Stauffenberg the opportunity to formulate a cohesive plan for a coup. As Vogel & Farrel point out, Stauffenberg was "now close enough to the center of power to make available some armored training battalions for a coup d'etat, the planning of which he could now directly assist," (168). Research also substantiates the film's central claim that von Stauffenberg felt Hitler was bad for Germany in general and not just for the Jews and all the other targets of Nazi murder campaigns. Thomas notes, "Stauffenberg became very concerned," and "believed that Germany could not win the war…so he became convinced that Hitler was leading his country to defeat," (31). The main quip of the film, "We have to kill Hitler," did seem to be something that Stauffenberg would have said. "In 1942 Stauffenberg decided that Hitler had to die," (Thomas 31).

Stauffenberg was a "highly decorated" German war hero in real life as he is in the film (Craig 136). More than any other element of Valkyrie, the character of von Stauffenberg seems the most historically accurate. Housden offers some quotes directly from Stauffenberg, which can be compared with dialogue in the film. For instance, Stauffenberg said, "I could never look the wives and children of the fallen in the eye if I did not do something to stop this senseless slaughter," (cited on 106). Colonel von Stauffenberg also said that it was "the entire German people" whose lives were at stake, and noted that "who has the courage to do something must do so in the knowledge that he will go down in German history as a traitor. If he does not do it, however, he will be a traitor to his conscience," (cited by Housden 106). In the film, Cruise playing Stauffenberg says something remarkably similar: "I know now there is only one way to serve Germany, and doing so I'll be a traitor - I accept that." Another similar line from the film has Stauffenberg say, "I am involved in high treason with all means available to me." Thus, the actual quotes from Stauffenberg seem like made-up Hollywood dialogue but they are not. They are in fact far more impactful than any of the seemingly overwrought lines delivered by Cruise in Valkyrie. Some of the film's lines directly parallel Stauffenberg's own voice as with the line, "I'm a soldier, but in serving my country, I have betrayed my conscience." One line at least is a direct quote: Stauffenberg's last lines, 'Long live our sacred Germany!' (Jones).

The co-conspirators are portrayed in the film as being of the same social standing as von Stauffenberg, based on… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Historical Accuracy of the Film Valkyrie Starring Tom Cruise" Assignment:

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The essay must adhere to these strict guidelines

HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Guidelines 2011/2012

IB 20th Century World History

What is it?

A historical investigation consisting of a written account of between 1,500 and 2,000 words (no more, no less), divided into six sections: a plan of the investigation, a summary of evidence, an evaluation of sources, an analysis, a conclusion, and a bibliography or list of sources. The investigation must be a written piece and should be the work of the individual student. Group work is not permitted. It is worth 25 marks.

Who does it?

All higher level (HL) and standard level (SL) history students.

How many words should there be in each section?

This is not specified, but a suggestion is A 100-150, B 500-600, C 250-400, D 500-650, E 150-200. Total 1,500-2,000 words. You can NOT be over or under the word count, or you will automatically lose marks.

How many marks is it worth?

It is marked out of 25 for both HL and SL and weighted at 20% (for HL) and 25% (for SL) of the final assessment.

What can it be about?

Any genuine history topic, but Bacon must agree upon it with you. Bacon*****s suggestion is that you choose a topic of interest from the IB 20th Century History or Americas syllabus that may help you with the IB exams! Kill two birds with one stone! It may NOT be a topic you have previously researched (like for Extended Essay or a previous history class).

How many sources do you need to use?

As many as will produce an effective investigation. Only sources used in the investigation can be listed on your works cited page. Two of these will be selected for evaluation (section C of the investigation). I suggest a minimum of 6 really good, varied sources. Maximum of 12?? Your sources should be diverse ï¿½ï¿½*****" books, periodicals, internet, interviews, video / audio, etc.

Examples of the types of investigations a student may undertake:

a historical topic or theme using written sources or a variety of sources

a historical topic based on fieldwork; for example a museum, battlefield, etc

a historical problem using documents (this could include newspapers)

a local history project

a history project based on oral interviews

a historical investigation based on interpreting a novel, film, piece of art, etc

PLANNING

1. Start by identifying a general area of interest in history.

2. Narrow it down to a specific question / area of investigation.

3. Choose a working title that may be changed / refined at a later stage. This will be in the form of a question.

4. Make sure you can obtain sufficient resources for your planned investigation!!!!! (I suggest at least 5 or 6 really, really good ones, and maybe 5 or 6 eh, ok ones! You may not use all of them in your final investigation, but at least you could find enough info).

o read widely around the area of study and note all resources used

o look for competing or differing interpretations of your topic. IB loves this!

5. Review your thesis question and refine it if necessary.

6. Take notes from your chosen resources, including exact references.

7. Complete section A (the plan) and show it to Bacon.

8. Re-read your notes and decide where they would fit into the sections of the investigation.

9. Complete your investigation, according to IBO guidelines.

The methodology of your research is what this investigation is all about. It is a report of the research you would do if you were actually going to write a full research essay on your topic. How would you go about answering your thesis? What sources would you use? Where would you find those sources? And in a nutshell, what is your conclusion or answer to the question based on your limited research?

A. Plan of Investigation (100-150 words)

In order to come up with a good question or thesis, you must do some pre-research. Pick a topic, research it, come up with a basic question, read some more about it, refine your question, write some of your paper, and then tweak the question a bit more. The question should be specific, focused, detailed and targeted. The more specific, the better!!!!

Scope: Your plan must include your thesis, and you need to explain why your topic is important, why it deserves research, and why you are narrowing your focus to your specific thesis. Explain why your research is so broad or so narrow.

You will need to write about the methods of your research. This is not a narrative of how you are going to drive to the library, sit at a computer, and type in some words. Nor is it a story about how you looked through lots of period magazines. It is a narrative of how you would search through speeches of your historical figure, look for who attended the speeches, research what the local and national newspapers said about the speech, find a copy of the speech, look for video or audio of the speech, etc etc etc. What is it that you need to do in order to answer your thesis question? No matter what you do or how you do it, your research must have a clearly structured plan. You can*****t do it all on the internet!

*****I need to find letters from*****¦***** and why*****¦

*****I need to look at others who were there*****¦***** and why*****¦

*****I need to see pictures (satellite and aerial) of the geography of the area to better understand*****¦*****

*****I need to locate personal journals from*****¦***** and why*****¦

*****I will sort through court records to*****¦.*****

The Plan of Investigation must include:

*****¢ the subject of the investigation in the form of a question

*****¢ the methods to be used in the investigation

B. Summary of Evidence (research) (500-600 words)

JUST THE FACTS MA*****AM*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦*****¦.NOTHING BUT THE FACTS

Prove you did the research! Prove you looked through a variety of sources. Prove you didn*****t just sit at the computer and search the internet! Prove you were thorough! Prove you went to a museum and looked at the archives! You may even want to bullet the evidence, but make sure you write in sentence form (this helps your word count)! Whatever you do, make sure you cite all your sources. Be careful, only use something in your investigation if it is meaningful and provides evidence to help answer your question. Just using a laundry list of lots of facts and figures and quotes from lots of books or websites doesn*****t help. More is not better. I would suggest primary AND secondary sources for your research. Summarize, summarize, summarize.

Do not include your analysis of the sources, and don*****t actually answer the thesis in this section! You will do this later. It is just an organized summary of the facts you found from the sources you discovered in your research. You may include quotes if you want to, but make sure you put them in context. You don*****t have to use quotes though. I found this, and this, and this, and this.

Be careful - any information you use anywhere else in the paper must be presented in this section. You can*****t pull out new information and use it in your conclusion if it does not also appear in your summary of evidence!! All information you summarize should help *****prove***** what your conclusion is.

Any illustrations, documents, or other relevant evidence should be included in an appendix and will not be included in the word count.

This section MUST BE ORGANIZED (thematically or chronologically) and MUST BE REFERENCED and provide evidence of thorough research. It can be in either bulleted list or continuous prose.

C. Evaluation of Sources (OPVL) (250-400 words)

This section should be a critical evaluation of the two (2) most important sources appropriate to the investigation and should refer to their ORIGIN, PURPOSE, VALUE, and LIMITATION. More then two sources may be evaluated but the emphasis should be on the thorough evaluation of two sources rather than a superficial evaluation of more than two. You are the historian, so explain how useful the source is to you. What are its values and limitations?

NOTE: The purpose of this section is to assess the usefulness of the sources; NOT to describe their content or nature. (you already described their content in section B)

You do not have to compare the two sources! Think of it as a paragraph or so OPVL for one source, and a paragraph or so OPVL for another source. Easy marks!

*****Limitation***** ï¿½ï¿½*****" you now have access to the entire document, so you can*****t use the argument of the document only being an excerpt like you might be able to use in the Paper 1 exam. Look for other limitations the source has.

D. Analysis (500-650 words)

This is the substance of the paper. These are your thoughts about the subject. This is your analysis of the sources, your findings, your ideas. You may want to present differing interpretations of the answer to your question.

Whatever you do, you should try to place it in historical context. This will add weight and perspective to your study. What else was going on at the time? Take a larger view than just your bit of information*****¦what associated events may lend themselves to an understanding of the historical importance of your subject?

You are elaborating on and analyzing what you wrote about in section B. The elements you identified in section B will now be broken down into key issues or points. Now you are analyzing what all the facts from section B mean. How are they related? How do they conflict with each other? What do they mean? What is your interpretation of the facts?

The analysis should include:

*****¢ the importance of the investigation in its historical context

*****¢ analysis of the evidence

*****¢ if appropriate, different interpretations

E. Conclusion (150-200 words)

The conclusion must be clearly stated and consistent with the evidence presented. You should NOT INCLUDE ANY NEW INFORMATION NOT ALREADY PRESENTED EARLIER IN YOUR PAPER!!!!!!

This is a follow-up to section D. It requires an answer or conclusion, based on the evidence already presented (again, no new evidence or surprises) which either partially of fully addresses the question stated or implied in the investigation.

This should be consistent with the rest of your paper. Don*****t try to pull a fast one on anyone!

F. List of Sources (not counted in word count)

A bibliography or list of sources must be included although it will not count in total word count.

All sources, whether written or otherwise (including interviews) should be listed. This must be alphabetized. Format does not matter, as long as you are consistent and use only one format!

Where should you research??

*****¢ presidential libraries

*****¢ databases

*****¢ professional journals (most recent research only)

*****¢ government websites (.gov)

*****¢ educational websites (universities) (.edu)

*****¢ books

*****¢ museums (Hagley and Winterthur have great libraries depending on your topic)

*****¢ DE Public Archives

*****¢ Library of Congress

Make sure you research the source! At Newark I had a student use a paper that they found online as a resource. It was a really good paper about something to do with the economic situation of Native Americans on government reservations or something like that. Problem was that when I looked into it, the paper was written by a third grader (with a lot of help from Mom or Dad) for his elementary school history class and his teacher had published it on some website. I*****m not kidding. It was a third grade paper! (also ask me about 2007/2008 senior papers)

CHECK THE SOURCE! MAKE SURE IT IS RELIABLE!

Last time I checked, a third grader*****s paper was not a reliable source for a historical investigation such as this, no matter how good his sources were if Daddy wrote the paper! (remind me to tell you about the Class of 2008 and a certain paper that cited middle school papers as research!)

Final Thoughts from Bacon*****¦.

A. Plan of Investigation 3 marks

B. Summary of Evidence 6 marks

C. Evaluation of Sources 5 marks

D. Analysis 6 marks

E. Conclusion 2 marks

F. Sources and word limit 3 marks

total 25 marks

A. Plan of Investigation

0 There is no plan of the investigation or it is inappropriate.

1 The research question, method, scope, and rationale of the investigation are not clearly stated.

2 The research question is clearly stated. The method, scope and rationale of the investigation are outlined and related to the research question.

3 The research question is clearly stated. The method, scope and rationale of the investigation are clearly developed and closely focused on the research question.

B. Summary of Evidence

0 There is no relevant factual evidence.

1-2 There is some relevant factual material of the factual material has not been referenced.

3-4 There is relevant factual material which shows evidence of research, organization and referencing

5-6 The factual material is all relevant to the investigation and it has been well researched, organized and correctly referenced.

C. Evaluation of Sources

0 There is no description or evaluation of sources.

1 The sources are described but there is no reference to their origin, purpose, value and limitation.

2-3 There is some evaluation of the sources but reference to their origin, purpose, value and limitation may be limited.

4-5 There is evaluation of the sources and explicit reference to their origin, purpose, value and limitation.

D. Analysis

0 There is no analysis

1-2 There is some attempt at analyzing the evidence

3-4 There is analysis of the factual material presented in section B and references are included. There may be some awareness of the significance to the investigation of the sources evaluated in section C. Where appropriate, different interpretations are considered.

5-6 There is critical analysis of the evidence presented in section B, accurate referencing, and an awareness of the significance to the investigation of the sources evaluated in Section C. Where appropriate, different interpretations are analyzed

E. Conclusion

0 There is no conclusion, or the conclusion is not relevant.

1 The conclusion is stated but is not entirely consistent with the evidence presented

The conclusion is clearly stated and consistent with the evidence presented

F. Sources and Word Limit

0 A list of sources is not included and/or the investigation is not within the word limit.

1 A list of sources is included but these are limited, or one standard method of listing sources is not used consistently, or the investigation is not within the word limit.

2 A list of sources using one standard method is included B and the investigation is within the word limit.

3 An appropriate list of all sources, using one standard method is included. The investigation is within the word limit.

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