The Vietnam War in History
History of the Vietnam War
Like most nations, the United States of America had its share in the Vietnam War during its founding years. Before the commencement of the cold war, various actual wars took place in American history, one of which is the Vietnam War. Like most wars, people who enjoy peace today are at the luxury of criticizing the events that took place during that time. There are those who consider it a necessity and a determining time for the United States. Others however believe that the war was unethical and often paint the Vietnamese as victims forced to defend their nation against the power hungry United States. Such ideologies are not only discussed amongst friends but also depicted in various forms of media. Writers who offer history essay help at Edudorm essay writing service notes that the contrast in views of the Vietnam War is evident in two films where, Platoon paints the Vietnamese as active participants who engaged the Americans in open conflict. They are seen as having attacked the American troops on various occasions, and were therefore out to benefit from the war if they won. Born on the fourth of July on the other hand paints the Vietnam War as a state where the Vietnamese were victims who were attacked unnecessarily by the American troops. There is little attention focused on Vietnamese soldiers and the few scenes about war are about the Americans attacking children and women in Vietnam.
The Vietnam War in the Film Platoon
In the film platoon, a group of American troops are in the jungle and must go out patrolling at night. At a night ambush patrol, one person has to stand watch and after Taylor taking his turn, he wakes up Junior to take watch. However, instead of staying vigil, he ends up falling asleep and Vietnamese troops move up to their location without them knowing. Experts who offer history case study help at Edudorm essay writing service indicates that Taylor wakes up just in time to spot the Vietnamese troops drawing nearer and a fight ensues between them and the American troops. In the commotion, Taylor is at first unable to use his claymore because he fails to turn the safety off. The conflict between the two sides leaves one American dead and Taylor being injured. On this occasion, the Vietnamese are portrayed as violent militants who crept up and attacked the Americans while they were sleeping. The violence demonstrated in this conflict is developed in various scenarios where the Vietnamese are seen to be dangerous and vicious (Kopelstone 1).
What Happened in the Vietnam War?
Another example is when the American platoon goes for another patrol only this time it is during the day. They come across a bunker that belongs to Vietnamese troops who have just left. The American soldiers decide to inspect the bunker, where Elias goes inside the bunker while the rest inspect the exterior surroundings. They soon come to realize that the Vietnamese have left traps and two men get blown up as they are surveying some maps left behind. In the commotion, one of the soldiers, many, ends up being separated from the troop and they set out to look for him. They eventually find him dead, mutilated and his body is tied to a tree (Chuyako 1). Authors who offer history homework help at Edudorm essay writing service points that out of anger, the American troops venture into a nearby village where they kill two people before burning down the village. When the American troops return to the bunker the next day, they are ambushed by the Vietnamese and have to call in an airstrike for assistance. Elias manages to figure out the plans that the Vietnamese troops intend to use for launching attacks and he uses this information to defeat them with the help of a group of soldiers.
Role of the Troops in The Vietnam War
They use the same information to dig fox holes in anticipation of Vietnamese troops that are expected to launch an attack through that area. The Vietnamese eventually launch an attack during the night and manage to overrun the area. The American troops are forced to abandon their fox holes but not after a large number of them are killed. One soldier, O’Neill is forced to fake his own death by hiding under dead bodies (Kopelstone 1). Tutors who offer research writing help at Edudorm essay writing service acknowledges that in most encounters, the Vietnamese are portrayed as vicious militants who manage to kill and American soldier every time the two come into contact. Platoon is set in a way that portrays the Vietnamese as the bad guys and the Americans as the victims and this is seen in most interactions between the two.
The Vietnam War in the Film, Born on the fourth of July
Born on the fourth of July on the other hand, paints a different picture on the war in Vietnam. As opposed to Platoon which shows the Vietnamese as vicious and violent troops who attack the Americans, Born on the fourth of July portrays the Vietnamese as weak and vulnerable people who can barely defend their country. This is seen when Kovic is in his second tour to Vietnam where his unit mistakes a village to be full of military combatants but only end up killing innocent Vietnamese civilians. Unlike in Platoon, the Americans are the ones doing most of the killing and the Vietnamese are just innocent victims often unable to defend themselves (Canby 1).
Memories of The Vietnam War
There is however few incidences where the Vietnamese and the American troops engage each other in conflict. Most of the story about the war is told through the memories that Kovic has of the war and the reaction of the Americans towards the war in Vietnam. During a patrol, Kovic gets injured after he is shot two times and injures his spine. He is taken to a veteran’s hospital where he stays several months as he recovers (Kovic 1). Mentors who offer research paper editing help at Edudorm essay writing service recognizes that not ready to give up, he does all he can to try and walk again but only ends up fracturing his thighbone and later goes home in a wheelchair. It is here that we start to see the negative view that people have of the war in Vietnam. Being a war veteran, he is displeased with the various students and teenagers who wage rallies against the war. They are displeased to the point of burning the American flag in a bid to try and bring to an end of the war in Vietnam. Kovic’s brother is among these civilians who are against the war and want to see it come to an end.
Conclusion
The contrast is evident in the two films and this is seen in the way the two countries, Vietnam and America, engage each other in war. While the Vietnamese in Platoon contribute in the war, those in Born on the fourth of July are innocent civilians who get killed while the militants are trying their best to defend their nation against the Americans (Ho & Stone 1). The situation is so dire that Kovic is unable to finish a speech as he hears fire crackers which remind him of the time his troops massacred a village of innocent civilians and a baby was left crying in the middle of the street.
Works Cited
Canby V, “How an all American boy went to war and lost his faith” New York Times, 1989.
Chuyaco J, “Made in Phl Hollywood Films”. Phil Star 2015.
Ho K, and Stone O, “Born on the fourth of July” Universal Pictures, 1989.
Kopelson A, “Platoon” Hemdale Film Corporation, 1986.
Kovic R, “Introduction and overview of born on the fourth of July” 2016.
https://www.vassar.edu/the-wars-for-vietnam/vietnam-war-overview
