Shock and Awe

 September 11, 2001.

It’s a date that’s burned into the minds of generations, even those not yet born that day, due to the tragedy that took place and the egregious loss of life. The pain rippled through the country, causing a surge of patriotism and sending many young men and women rushing to enlist in any military branch they could.

But behind the scenes, the narrative was guided, and the government pushed a narrative most journalists refused to dispute.

The 2017 blockbuster Shock and Awe is based on the true story of the Knight Ridder Paper and how it stood above the rest as a pillar of truth in a time of high-strung emotions.

The story follows John Walcott, Johnathan Landay, and Warren Strobel as they fight back against the nationalistic movement the government was pushing and expose every lie President Bush told the people.

Jonathan Landay and Warren Strobel

Alongside the journalists, we follow a young veteran, Adam Green. After the attacks of 9/11, he felt compelled to serve in the military, desperate to save his country from more danger. At 19, Green went behind his parent’s backs and enlisted despite their worry and terror.

Three hours after he was deployed into Iraq, his transport exploded. He was left wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life for the war.

 Meanwhile, the reporters are shocked to hear that the government was going after Iraq when the evidence pointed towards Al Qaeda, an Afghan terrorist organization. Strobel, in particular, was chasing down sources while getting anonymous sources telling them the truth that Iraq wasn’t to blame.

The movie reflects on a recent but horrifying period where American men and women died and were permanently injured in the name of freedom, fighting with the truest intentions to protect their country while failed by their government. It’s implied in the film that at least some of the reasoning is to keep the interest in the wars alive since taking out the real threat in Afghanistan would wipe out public interest in it, and military funding would drop.

Knight Ridder’s part in spreading truth in a time when misinformation ran through the wires, presenting itself as truth in the minds of many, needs to be memorialized for its actual impact on the country. Their desperate attempts to share the truth shine as a beacon of journalistic integrity and dedication to fact. Regardless of mainstream media’s refusal to pick up their stories, they refused to stop writing in truth.

The secondary plotline with Green was a bone-chilling display of the harm done to our military service members. It added an emotional connection and draw to the film that made each moment feel more significant and personal.

Shock and Awe is a masterful tribute to the political climate of the early 2000s. The actions taken and choices made have a ripple effect throughout the future, and remembering where they started is crucial so as not to repeat our mistakes.