Saving Private Ryan Wiki
Saving Private Ryan Wiki
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"Quite a situation, huh?"
"Unbelievable."
"Here. Fucked up beyond all recognition, right?"
"You got that right. FUBAR."
Stanley Mellish and Timothy E. Upham

Fubar is a terminology used during World War II to describe a mission that had been severely messed up or an event that was complete chaos. A mission that is coined this usually had a terrible outcome that led to many being killed.

Some people and soldiers, usually war veterans, still use this word in the 21st century.

In The Film[]

It was constantly used by Captain Miller and his men during their search for Ryan. A soldier called Lieutenant Dewindt knew what it meant as well.

Only Upham did not know what it meant until Mellish indirectly told him when they were having a conversation whilst collecting ammunition. This was also the last time "Fubar" was said in the film.

Meaning[]

There are three meanings. They are:

Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition (clean version).

Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition (what the army commonly meant it to be).

A derivation from the German Word „furchtbar” (awful).

In Spanish it was translated as "Fomare", which means "FOllado y MAchacado sin REmedio" (fucked and crushed without a remedy).

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