Oliver Stone’s Platoon effectively displays the harsh reality of the Vietnam War. Throughout the film, we are exposed to the inhumane conditions and unjust treatment that soldiers were exposed to on a daily basis. The environment of Vietnam and the unique guerilla warfare tactics used by the Viet Cong caught many US soldiers off guard as they were not given the necessary training to be prepared for these challenges. Of course, to top this all off, many soldiers were, who often didn’t even want to be there in the first place, were treated like scum by their commanding officers.
The fact that Oliver Stone was a Vietnam War veteran himself added a lot to the production of this film. With his first-hand knowledge, many people including me were able to properly understand the true struggle that was the Vietnam War. While there is only so much one can learn from reading from a book, I felt that the film really brought the harsh conditions and improper treatment to life. As I watched this film, I wondered what other films of certain events in our history were created by people who experienced them first hand and how much of an effect this had on a film compared to a filmmaker who made a film based on something they read in a history book.
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