Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

The primary, recurring question throughout Black Hawk Down is: How could this happen? It can be asked of nearly every event in the story. Blackburn falls from the helicopter, which starts the spiral of bad luck and poor planning. He falls because his eagerness to fight makes him careless on his rope and the team has never “fast-roped” from such a height.  

American misunderstanding of the Somali culture also plays a role in the mission’s downfall. While the Americans see themselves as heroes attempting to aid the Somalis, Aidid’s propaganda has corrupted the civilians, and they believe that the Americans are attempting to enslave and indoctrinate them. This belief, combined with their cultural need to “be a witness” and courageous regardless of physical danger, causes the Somalis to take to the streets during the firefight, leaving the Americans outnumbered and confused.

One major weakness of the plan is the American force’s confidence in their Black Hawks. When the first RPG hits the first Black Hawk, the takeaway is that even a well-planned mission is susceptible to improbable events. When multiple RPGs fell multiple Black Hawks, the suggestion is that the Americans have overestimated the helicopters; they are not impenetrable after all.