Why did Clooney have to change the story?

Rating: 4/10 (13 December 2014)

In this case I read the book after seeing the movie. Clearly the movie is "loosely" based on the book (which of course describes the actual history). Why did Clooney feel compelled to change the names of the people involved in this story, it is history isn't it? My guess would be that about 50% of this screenplay is based upon actual events. Many events in the movie such as Matt Damon's character stepping on a mine, John Goodman and Jean DuJardin having a gun battle with a Hitler youth, Bill Murray and Bob Balaban's confrontation with a German soldier, and the 'romantic' interlude between Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett's characters are complete fiction. I agree with many of the other reviewers that the overall atmosphere of the movie was not in keeping with the serious nature of the subject matter. In the end The Monuments Men is about as historically accurate as Inglorious Basterds....