Vietnam War Historian Breaks Down 8 Vietnam War Scenes In Movies And TV | How Real Is It? | Insider

At 05:00 in this video, the expert identifies an object for firing Claymore mines as a "clicker." The correct term is "clacker." Business Insider regrets the error.
Military history professor Bill Allison rates Vietnam War movies, such as "Apocalypse Now," for realism.
Allison breaks down battle tactics used by the United States military; Viet Cong, or VC; and People's Army of Vietnam, or PAVN; during the Vietnam War, such as the use of helicopters and napalm in "Apocalypse Now" (1979), starring Marlon Brando; and the use of tunnels and firepower in "We Were Soldiers" (2002), starring Mel Gibson. He looks at the realism of urban and jungle warfare, such as the battle of Huế during the Tet Offensive in "Full Metal Jacket" (1987) and "Platoon" (1986), featuring Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, and Johnny Depp. Allison also looks at the portrayal of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, or ARVN, in "Mùi Cỏ Cháy" ("The Scent of Burning Grass") (2012) and "The Green Berets" (1968), starring John Wayne. Additionally, he discusses the tragedies and aftermath of the Vietnam War, connecting the Mỹ Lai massacre to the civilian deaths in "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989), with Tom Cruise, and talking about the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue in "Rambo: First Blood Part II" (1985), starring Sylvester Stallone.
Allison is a professor of military history at Georgia Southern University. He has written several books about the Vietnam War, including "My Lai: An American Atrocity in the Vietnam War." He is also a Vietnam battlefield tour guide with the UK company The Cultural Experience.
You can find out more about Bill here:
www.profbillallison.com/
You can check out Bill's podcast, "Military Historians Are People, Too!" here:
www.mhptpodcast.com/
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Vietnam War Historian Breaks Down 8 Vietnam War Scenes In Movies And TV | How Real Is It? | Insider

[@JoeyArmstrong2800]

My dad was a Vietnam vet and took me to see Platoon on my 15th birthday. When the movie was over we sat there in silence for what seemed like an eternity. My dad couldn't move, he was absolutely a wreck of emotion. I had to call my mom from the theater payphone to come pick us up. I'll never forget this moment. R.I.P Pops. Still missing you down here.

[@guydegregg6869]

Platoon really hit me too, I wasn't gonna watch it ,but I did and it was a accurate depiction of the four Infantry platoons I served with in the field and in garrison.

[@rcfrantzen7290]

I also remember seeing this in person as a 13-year-old. At the time I didn't really know much about the Vietnam War. I remember when the movie ended not a soul moved until Adiago for Strings was done and all the credits flowed, and the lights came on. No one really spoke either.

[@Ruger44Redhawk]

I'll never forget as a kid in 1st grade in 1986 when Platoon came out and my parents got a babysitter for my brother and I. They went to see Platoon with some other parents including my neighbor. My dad was a Green Beret combat vet with 3rd Special Forces Group, the Bravo Bears 1968-70. Their motto, "We do bad things to bad people." He received the Bronze Star with 'V' Device, two Air Medals and two Army Commendation Medals. Anyway, years later my neighbor, Dr. Sprague, told me that after they saw Platoon they went to a bar and my dad said that was as real as it got and opened up about what had happened. He saw some bloody stuff as his Platoon was attacked by a VC squad with RPG's. He lost some of his buddy's and held them as they bled out. I read a lot of this in the binder full of letters he wrote home. I kid you not, I'm reading the script to the movie Platoon. He passed away when I was in college in 2001. The hardest working man I've ever known. Miss him very much.

[@richardmartin2646]

I recommend you read the book. It's on KZbin also kill anything that moves. I had friends over there.

[@SushiDan23]

I'm really surprised he didn't review the most accurate Vietnam film of all time. Tropic thunder.

[@aliasmarg8ta127]

I know! How disappointing.

[@scottbarkley496]

DIET COOOOOOOOKE

[@Klaus-em3ix]

It's a film about a film and there Producers (Tom Cruise). It's how to make a very bad Vietnam movie.

[@SushiDan23]

@@Klaus-em3ix you mean it's not accurate??? I thought Robert Downey Jr was an actual black man until I read your comment and did some research.

[@renecomedy]

Hahaha😂

[@johnharris6655]

I once heard a Vietnam vet tell a bunch of students who thought Platoon was an very real depiction of war. The vet said "No a real depiction would be you and 9 friends go see Platoon, 5 of them get killed , 2 are horribly wounded, 2 commit suicide when they get home and you are left with survivors guilt. "

[@benjaminwilliams3568]

Exactly Matter of fact Statement.❤❤❤❤

[@matsjohansson2657]

Wasn’t it like 2% of the Americans who did die?

[@siouxzgreene6274]

My husband was a LRRP68-69 central highlands. Platoon was his film of choice for realism. He returned home in 69 but mentally he never left the bush, the nightmares, the cautiousness everywhere he went. And up until a few years before he passed from agent Orange related illnesses, he would not talk about being in country.

[@dicksonfranssen]

I've heard this more than once. Veterans get irritated by someone mumbling "thank you for your service" when they have no idea what it is they're thankful for. My parents were liberated in spring 1945 so with the full understanding of what it is I'm thankful for, Thank you both.

[@coppertopv365]

🙏🏻

[@benjaminwilliams3568]

My uncle my sisters brother was a LLRP as well in Vietnam. I had the same experience with him that you expressed. When he came home on leave, like your husband. My uncle was still in Vietnam. Somehow as a kid I understood him. Now I'm in my early fifties and retired from Army Special Forces, I'm very much a loaner. I've been married twice and I don't exactly fit in civilian life. I'm not into drugs or alcohol. I'm just hard pressed to tolerate California people who have no idea what real life is.

[@dicksonfranssen]

@@benjaminwilliams3568 I can barely tolerate people who feel entitled but have given nothing. For me it's small town life and animals that keep me sane.

[@etiennesharp]

The soldier taking the photo didn't have a 'fancy camera' because he went on R&R; he had it because, in the film, he's a a combat photographer.

[@Ganiscol]

But in reality it was so.

[@justmeeagainn]

Is that you, John Wayne? Is this me?

[@RobARug]

Animal Mother: Well, you seen much combat? Private Joker: I've seen a little on TV.

[@leibermuster2399]

True, pilgrim, only after you eat the peanuts outta mah shiieeeeet

[@pgo2372]

I picked up on that. It tells me the guy probably never watched the whole movie.

[@gmlogan4889]

My Dad who served as an infantry Sgt in Vietnam said that surprisingly, he thought Forrest Gump got Vietnam the most accurately.

[@AngelusEchoes-kh4fd]

There was the big ol fat rain, the itsy stinging rain, rain that fell from the side...

[@thegadflygang5381]

It was actually pretty good The movie as a whole is terrible and really didn't hold up very well but i agree with you. The few Vietnam scenes were kept simple

[@mikebrase5161]

​@@RinkFloydI just saw the bye Forrest I'll see you again after I'm a single mom with AIDS meme. 😂

[@chrishestand1032]

My dad said the same.

[@tomaskadlec9534]

@@thegadflygang5381 i doubt you know much about movies if you think Forrest Gump is terrible...

[@bicivelo]

The Nikon F camera, like the one shown in full metal jacket here, was the primary camera used by photojournalist during the Vietnam war. It was Nikons‘s first SLR camera and was produced from the late 50s until around 1973 or 74. it also went to space in some of the late Apollo missions. In short, the thing is an absolute BEAST of a camera and is extremely well-made and very very heavy. I have two of them and absolutely love shooting with it. It’s just an amazing historical piece of photos of journalism. GREAT video too 😊

[@hubbsllc]

Absolutely, and the lenses were very, very good. I was heavy into photography in the early- to mid-1990s and one of the lenses I had was a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 that I really shouldn't have sold; I could be using that lens on a fully modern digital camera even today.

[@DCS_World_Japan]

"Broken Arrow" was the correct term during the Vietnam War. Its usage as a nuclear weapon accident is post-Vietnam.

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

Nope

[@patavinity1262]

I was really curious about this and decided to look into it. I found a lot of contradictory information, but on balance I think you're wrong. The second part of your assertion is absolutely incorrect: 'Broken Arrow' is one of two flagwords used by the Air Force indicating a nuclear weapon mishap (the other being 'Bent Spear'), and this was certainly the case during the Vietnam War. The 1970 report on the 1968 crash of a B-52 at Thule Air Base for example notes the term. As for whether it was used at the battle depicted in the movie, I think the historian being interviewed here was justified in saying 'maybe'. The *only* source for this phrase *ever* having been used in this way in a battle was the book 'We Were Soldiers'. There is no reference to it anywhere which predates the publication of that book. Could it have been a codeword approved by command for use during this specific operation? Perhaps, but again there's no definitive evidence of that happening, and it certainly was not commonly used in that way throughout the Vietnam War.

[@amkrause2004]

Broken arrow was probably just a code word for that specific unit or battle. Many of these movies don't ever show how a real briefing is, right before units go into battle. There's code words for just about anything, think of it as the bugle sounds during the US civil war, there was tone for each command execution.

[@StallionStudios1234]

Interesting. What about SKSs where they used much? I get the AK47, I just think an SKS would not be as useful given its semiautomatic and only holds 10 rounds. There is lots of Chinese made ones that are dirt cheap and still come with the bayonet. Apparent the Balkan versions are best well made.

[@VitalyMack]

@@StallionStudios1234 the SKS was used a lot during Vietnam. Back then bayonets was still a thing. Chinese made AKs with SKS type built in bayonet. For hit and run tactics I think an SKS would be the optimal choice. Full auto rifles are used for very specific set of purposes, not for collecting more meat per bullet. Hollywood just loves full auto with never ending magazines because it's cool and fun.

[@martinbrody3315]

They should have shown Hamburger Hill here first. That movie doesn't get a lot of love. While an exciting and engaging war film with great storytelling and a great cast, it often gets overshadowed by more famous Vietnam War films. However, it's extremely realistic to some veterans who have been there but still is a forgotten gem worth watching that will satisfy war movie buffs.

[@docgillygun9531]

Totally agree. Great movie.

[@Autobotmatt428]

I agree . That and We were soldiers should have been rated higher at least a 6 maybe 7.

[@Autobotmatt428]

@@docgillygun9531 A very underrated Vietnam film capturing the post tet mentality of the soldiers in 1969

[@NecramoniumVideo]

Because it does not have a real story to it, it just shows the battle, Platoon shows the brotherhood in the platoon.

[@S0ulinth3machin3]

@@NecramoniumVideo I agree. The plot is completely forgettable. I saw the movie, remember some gnarly combat, and have no idea what the plot was. The way my brain works, if something isn't very good, I forget it.

[@jasechurch5124]

“Broken Arrow” was declared over the radio by the Battalion Forward Air Controller, which meant that an American unit was in imminent danger of being overrun. It was the signal for all available American aircraft to converge and provide aid to the American unit.... it also doesn't show Gibson calling I'm broken arrow. It shows him ordering it. But the FAC calls it in

[@Autobotmatt428]

Yeah the historian had a few f ups in this review.

[@Autobotmatt428]

10:14 that was Charlie Hastings the air combat controller calling Broken Arrow, Broken Arrow, and just like you said Moore was tell telling him to call it. Its not inaccurate.

[@Lowlandlord]

It is not an official code phrase in wide usage for this purpose though. It had been officially used for nuclear weapons at the time though, and still is. He used all the language to make his statements about it accurate, except that Gibson's character doesn't call it, he states it in a very dramatic fashion in the film, and the way the Hastings character is played throughout the film is really not that complimentary, seems slack jawed and simple most of the time.

[@Autobotmatt428]

@@Lowlandlord It was in during the Vietnam War.

[@robertagu5533]

​@@Autobotmatt428including the VERY start too, the dude said there was "NO evidence, AT ALL." This was wrong. There's very real documentaries stories of dudes that escaped an survived captivity that SPECIFICALLY SAID they WAS POWs from Vietnam.

[@anon17472]

I know old mate has written a book but both Oliver Stone and Dale A Dye (the bloke calling for air support in Platoon) were there, they probably know what they're about

[@whydat684]

The other Nam vet was the fat Sgt in the white tee-shirt during the final combat scene yelling at the other soliders . For real

[@vegashdrider]

Im sayin!

[@michaellogico5613]

My father was the pilot of one of the UH-1H in Apocalypse Now. He was a LtCol in the Philippine Air Force at the time

[@Autobotmatt428]

Is it true that they got called away for real combat missions while shooting the film.

[@michaellogico5613]

@Autobotmatt428 yes. We had a communist insurgency.

[@Autobotmatt428]

@@michaellogico5613 The crazy stories that came out of that films production your dad must have some stories.

[@michaellogico5613]

@Autobotmatt428 filming took place in the province of Laguna. Back then, there weren't any hotels so the cast and crew slept in the homes of the locals. Some older folk still remember hosting Marlon Brando

[@Autobotmatt428]

@@michaellogico5613 I feel bad for them I heard he was a bit of a diva

[@jansenart0]

First Blood was an important and historic statement about PTSD, the treatment of veterans after the Vietnam War, and ultimately the penal system of the US. First Blood Part II (and the rest of the Rambo saga) continued the abuse of a mentally ill man who needed a robust VA social and mental healthcare system, but was instead exploited by a rogue officer in a private, secret war. Rambo himself said that he couldn't keep a job parking cars, and instead of ending up in treatment, was sentenced to hard labor. He was purchased from jail to commit crimes in an undeclared war against a foreign government. Things never improved for Rambo, but ask yourself this: what would've become of him in that era, had he lost a leg before First Blood?

[@crownprincesebastianjohano7069]

Yes, but it was the 80s. It was more important to pretend to help people (or help pretend people) than actually do something about the problems facing US vets. Ronnie Ray-Gun had to ensure that those tax-cuts stuck so he gutted the mental-health and social-welfare system. Rambo would have been screwed had he lost his leg, but in a different manner. Left to rot in government housing with little help for his PTSD. But, it's fine because the country could go down its POW/MIA rabbit-hole, with full support of the GOP as the POW/MIA organization became increasingly political, so folks could help people that didn't exist instead of the vets.

[@MotorcycleSalesVideo]

Actually, the U.S. President may initiate hostage rescue operations, if he becomes knowledgeable that a U.S. Citizen is being unjustly deprived of his liberty by a foreign government, assuming the President first demanded the release of the hostages, and was refused. In Rambo, a recon operation was authorized. It went hot when a prison guard engaged the rescuers. The crime in Rambo was the illegal detention of U.S. Citizens.

[@davisworth5114]

The Rambo movies are all total garbage, the problem was that he was concocted by Hollywood, subconsciously no doubt, to be the new role model for US males, when what was desperately needed after Vietnam was a man who was circumspect and cautious. Rambo created the whole 6 pak abs, biceps as 'guns', 'roid rage, etc, it seems as though Rambo et. al. created young American males who have somehow inherited the unrequited rage of Vietnam veterans, and other young men are rightfully alienated by such a cartoon version of manhood. Stallone weaseled out of the war, he was teaching English at a girl's school in Switzerland, ok? Very good comment about the total failure of the VA.

[@tuberific454]

BOT4OJ which he rates as most accurate also dealt with the subject of ptsd and post-war disabilities. And on that note it would've been interesting to hear his opinion of Casualities of War since like BOT4OJ it was autobiographical and depicted the main character's long-term struggle with his experiences. And before anyone knocks the John Wayne film he mentioned, it might be worth noting that it inspired 4 star Admiral McRaven to join the SEALs.

[@Asillyhobo]

​@@davisworth5114 the first film, First Blood, and the book it's based off of, are better than what came after. If only for the original ending, and it being tame in comparison to what came later. It wasn't originally trying to portray a male archetype. And it shows in that first film.

[@JimBro317]

In the "Full Metal Jacket," sequence, you address the Marine taking a picture with his nice camera. If you watch the whole film, you'll see that that was his MOS, something like photojournalist for the Marine Corps.

[@RandomDudeOne]

Stars and Stripes.

[@Dregkar]

Feel like this dude hasnt seen most of these movies and it's pretty embarassing.

[@alexhobson5478]

@@Dregkarhow dare a historian do stuff like read books and go to archives and find first hand accounts instead of watching fictional movies about his work

[@crazyralph6386]

It was also he’s second one, the first was stolen by Bruce Lee and the karate kid in Da Nang 😂

[@NoMo-xr4xl]

​@alexhobson5478 it's fine for him to do that. But then he shouldn't be judging said films he hasn't seen

[@marklee8198]

The guy who's holding the camera depicted in Full Metal Jacket, that was Mathew Modine's partner, they were part of Stars and Stripes to take pictures and publish them in newspapers. They are actually attached to Cowboy's combat unit, to take pictures and interview soldiers as well.

[@ralphalvarez5465]

Rafterman - "a heartbreaker and life taker"

[@bboomermike2126]

I was a Navy (Seawolf) door gunner in Vietnam. Twice an outpost was being overrun and we put our strike in the compound. The friendlies took cover in bunkers and we only shot 7.62, no 50 cal or rockets. The friendlies were safe from rounds from the M-60 and mini-gun.

[@Sharkman1963]

Thank you for your service and for this information. I'm glad you made it back.

[@tuberific454]

It sounds like you were part of what they called a SEAL support package, and thus part of black ops wherein airstrikes of that nature were more common.

[@michael-4k4000]

​@@tuberific454it's actually called an Elite SEAL team package 📦

[@tuberific454]

@@michael-4k4000 That is incorrect.

[@patwxdaddy]

No one in Special Ops uses the term 'Elite" ever. @@michael-4k4000

[@Eoraptor1]

IMO, the key sentence in Rambo is when Col. Trautman recruits John Rambo from Federal prison and Rambo asks, "Do we get to win this time?" That, again IMO, is the underlying fantasy of the entire film. JAMES

[@Lowlandlord]

Winning the war, decades after it was lost, while also making up how evil the Vietnamese still were. Is kinda the purpose of the movie, which really shouldn't be that surprising consider it was a Stallone film, and he was doing things with similar jingoistic, American-exceptionalism messages in Rocky movies.

[@deanrobinson4129]

Not entirely sure but it's a bit ironic that stallone famous role is rambo when he dodged the draft for Vietnam

[@chris-zt7eo]

Didn't Hal Moore, the actual dude who served for this specific battle, comment on exactly what word was used for calling in all air assets on your position? I'm pretty sure he said it was exactly Broken Arrow.

[@Strickland1992]

What did broken arrow mean in Vietnam? in imminent danger of being overrun A “Broken Arrow” was declared over the radio by the Battalion Forward Air Controller, which meant that an American unit was in imminent danger of being overrun. It was the signal for all available American aircraft to converge and provide aid to the American unit. The fighting continued for three hours.

[@jayfro8340]

Yes, broken arrow had a different meaning than it does now

[@uosdwisrdewoh418]

@@jayfro8340*then, not “than”. Why do you get them confused? The former (again the word you mean) is an adverb meaning “after”. The latter is a conjunction used to introduce the second item in a comparative statement.

[@budgiefriend]

@@uosdwisrdewoh418 The commenter might be word blind or from a non-English speaking part of the world. I too get annoyed when people not spell good. But i don't feel like i HAVE to call people out like that. What is to be gained from being "that person" ?

[@BonShula]

@@uosdwisrdewoh418 Who cares. 50% of commenters are stupid and the rest is mentally ill.

[@timinwsac]

I was drafted in 1971 and this is the first time I've heard the NVA referred as PAVN.

[@sundancetitan5675]

NVA is what you gentlemen called it during the war the north Vietnamese called them Peoples Army of Vietnam. And thank you for your service too sir

[@charlesfiscus4235]

Being Politically correct

[@williambrandondavis6897]

This guy is a liberal college professor at University in Georgia.

[@williambrandondavis6897]

college professor

[@cesaru3619]

Yup he's politically motivated and a failure as a professor as all lefties are, that's business insider for you.@@williambrandondavis6897

[@Blix-Tha-Epic-TM4L]

Oliver stone was there, and made platoon about his experiences and meshed characters together. Platoon is the best Vietnam war film ever made. Period.

[@Autobotmatt428]

yes but Stone does fall in to a lot of the Hollywood stereotypes about tis war.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

​@@Autobotmatt428 Tbf, a lot of those tropes come from the experiences of one dude - Michael Herr. And his book Dispatches features multiple events that would be depicted in Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse NOW, and he had direct input on both films (and iirc other films made around that time). It's crazy how much the popular understanding of the Vietnam War in this country comes from one guy's experiences, and in all fairness there's worse books to be that influential. Anyone curious about the Vietnam War should read Dispatches. It's right up there with Tim O'brien's work and the 13th Valley.

[@StallionStudios1234]

I like that movie it was very well done. Very disturbing how many innocent people were caught in the middle. Those scenes in that movie are probably based on real encounters.

[@user-jp5mn3bi2e]

Full Metal Jacket. Apples-Oranges.

[@TheRafaelRamos]

Hamburger Hill is one of the best Vietnam War movies I've ever seen, it's a shame it was not mentioned.

[@ministerofdarkness]

Exactly! And Tropic Thunder

[@cesaru3619]

Because this guy is not a real expert, he's just a tom cruise fanboy.

[@joevicmeneses8918]

how about a TV series"Tour of duty" ??

[@Atomicsunshine67]

The friendly fire incident in Hamburger Hill is true

[@paimanish]

He does review it. In another recent video. And he rates it very highly

[@alankaufman385]

Of all of the KZbin videos about Vietnam, this is the first time that someone recognized that Robert Duval's Col. Kilgore was based on Col. Stockton. He was very much Like the depiction of Co. Kilgore and was, in fact, relieved for being a little too aggressive.

[@kennethstover1741]

He just wanted to smell that napalm😁 Can't we all just get along? ✌️😏Peace my brothers and sisters

[@pagodebregaeforro2803]

​@@kennethstover1741you are cool brother

[@ibubezi7685]

Yeah, imagine beating the VC/NVA... They were not there to 'win' and the Army did its best to obey that order...

[@vegashdrider]

So Oliver Stone was there, but this guy knows more then him about the battle? I call BS

[@MandarAkre]

In Platoon ... Before the final battle you can hear a few soldiers discussing how they captured VC soldiers and they found the entire layout of their Camp marked to their foxhole. So the guy who blew himself up in the command centre was pretty aware of its position in the camp.

[@ibubezi7685]

They always were - their sapper needed that info. Allison is completely misguided.

[@jmar1973]

My uncle served in Vietnam as part of a Huey crew. His test scores upon enlistment made them recommend that duty. While I didn't follow in his footsteps in regards to military service (In '91 we were scared that the Gulf Conflict would become the next Vietnam) I admired my uncle greatly. He was my hero and inspiration. Rest In Peace John Charles Mayfield. 🙏🏿 ❤

[@lukewise1227]

'Go Tell the Spartans' - how can you not like a movie with Burt Lancaster. From 'The Kentukian' right up until movies like 'Field of Dreams', he was just so good at his craft.

[@B4TEMAN]

Platoon deserves a higher rating imo.

[@patwxdaddy]

Another case where this 'historian' knows more than Oliver Stone who was there.

[@kdizzle901]

I agree it’s a masterpiece

[@B4TEMAN]

@@kdizzle901 Completely agree. it’s one of my favourite movies.

[@mijreed]

Academia vs. real life

[@ronnie_5150]

I always though 'Platoon' was more about the relationship and turmoil between the soldiers themselves than the enemy.

[@ryanfreese1113]

I met an American Vietnam Veteran several years ago who was still struggling with the trauma he experienced and he said Platoon was the most accurate movie he had seen with respect to what he experienced in that war/conflict

[@adameanglin]

My dad (1st Cav & 9th ID) also said Platoon was most realistic.

[@coppertopv365]

I don't think this Young Guy knows Jack about the Vietnam Conflict up close an personal like, or probably military life. I would like to know if he served at all. He had his rose colored glasses on doing this. I'm a Army veteran, who had uncles in Vietnam and Korea, and from what I heard an from the little I know from my service time. Platoon had some real type elements and some of the other movies mentioned in this "clip" have some elements that are similar to military life of the Vietnam time. I don't fully agree with the video Reviewer.

[@ScottHendrix-yz3du]

Platoon is just an anti American anti war BS PROPAGANDA movie. It wasn't nothing like Vietnam.​@@adameanglin

[@ScottHendrix-yz3du]

Platoon is an anti American anti veitnam war propaganda movie.

[@miduv82]

My father who just recently passed away served two tours in Vietnam with 2nd battalion 5th marines 1st marine division FMF during 1967 and 68. He told me at night they'd sleep in cemetery's if possible because the VC were superstitious about going into cemetery's. They just would avoid it. Also told me 90% of the fighting happened at night and you never wanted to fire at night unless you had to because you'd be giving your position away.

[@Rakshasa1986]

I'm sorry for your loss.

[@kendelvalle8299]

I was in several firefights in cemeteries. The VC were not afraid of attacking. The great thing about fighting in graveyards was that the graves are dirt mounds about three feet high and they provide good cover. The trick was to make it to a grave yard across an open field and then set up and whack the VC as they came at you over that open field. I was a Corpsman with a CAC unit... 65, 66 and 67.

[@miduv82]

@@kendelvalle8299 I just remember him telling me that story. He never mentioned getting into firefights but may have. I know there was a false sense they were superstitious. The Japanese were considered very superstitious as well.

[@KingOfKingize]

I can’t say what it was like during the war because of different circumstances. But the Vietnamese are indeed pretty superstitious in general.

[@longshotny]

Jesus Christ that must have been absolutely terrifying

[@user-xr4zt3vm5l]

The biggest concern with this presentation, is that it gives the younger viewer the impression that only the USA Forces, where the only ones there. I challenge all to watch Danger Close.

[@Gruntman77]

Rafterman IS a photographer for stars and stripes. Well established earlier in the movie. Did this guy even watch FMJ?

[@menachem2521]

Doesn't seem like it lol. It's one of the easier things to understand in the film...

[@zaynevanday142]

He’s an out right idiot 😂😂😂

[@dougkleen9917]

he isnt that good a historian.

[@chrishestand1032]

@@dougkleen9917 Between my dad being a Vietnam vet and the fact that I work with vintage cameras all the time, I agree and so would pops.

[@zeropoint546]

Pretty sure he didn't read "We were soldiers once... And young" either. Epic failures.

[@Jerry10939]

Full metal Jacket Joker’s character was PAO, I was Army PAO in the late 80s early 90s during Desert Storm, I was a photographer. So he would have been issued the camera because that was his job in the Marines as a Journalist.

[@user-cv4wh6vb2o]

I'm surprised Hamburger Hill wasn't mentioned. Some Vietnam vets I've spoken with over the years have all stated that that was the only film that accurately depicted what they experienced over there.

[@Autobotmatt428]

I know right but instead Rambo 2 is on this list and its not a Vietnam film

[@user-cv4wh6vb2o]

++ @@Autobotmatt428

[@rankoldbeast3479]

I was living in Hanoi when General Giap died. There were mourners lining the streets for the processions for miles and miles. He was held in high regard by a lot of the VNese

[@jadger1871]

VNese? This had nothing to do with the residents of Austria's capital.

[@deathclawdaddy]

probably because if they didint they would be flogged and miss out on the half rations they get this week.

[@dtq3809]

Giap was puppet of Ha Noi, he didn't even command Dien Bien Phu, the Chinese did.They let him take the credit

[@maliusmaximus1428]

Some pretty hilariously uninformed comments here so far. Giap was hailed as a hero and did indeed lead the northern forces through several major victories and losses. He was hailed as a hero here in Hanoi, but post war, especially in his later years, he was very critical of the sitting government, in particular in relation to the govt doing things like ceding land use rights for logging to foreign interests, particularly the Chinese. He was too big and perceived to be too much of a hero to try to bring his name down, so instead he was just kept out of the media. The irony is actually in the fact that in death he was celebrated as the greatest hero of the American War behind Uncle Ho, by the very people that he spent his final years railing against and who had kept him quiet

[@rankoldbeast3479]

@@maliusmaximus1428 100%. Today's VN is clearly not the country Uncle Ho wanted.

[@Xx-lq9su]

PAVN may nit have dug the tunnels, but they absolutely would have utilized them. And yes, the battle of ia drank was PAVN, but its not a stretch to say the forward scouts were VC. Hal Moore in his book did say broken arrow was the code word. Don't really think this guy is the best choice for this video.

[@nolanfroese9164]

I thought friendly fire was super common. That's what oliver stone said that a lot of fire missions hit a lot of their own and that was his experience that he showed. He did say parts of the movie were embellished

[@tuberific454]

The guy in this vid isn't talking about the church ambush scene when it was an accident. He's talking about the battle at the end of the film. While the film was based on Stone's experiences, the blu ray extras discusses how he and Dale Dye had disputes on set about the accuracy of Stone's vision.

[@00poopmonster]

Looked it up on Google and about 5% of US casualties in Vietnam were from friendly fire. Differs from source to source but probably somewhere around that number.

[@nolanfroese9164]

Which is a lot, and a percentage that is on a lower range. @@00poopmonster

[@hazardeur]

think what stone meant was the friendly fire from handheld bullet weapons, so basically rifles and pistols.

[@RW77777777]

The Ia Drang friendly fire scene(which breaks my heart ofc) is quite small compared to other misuse of air power events in US history I think Iwo Jima had almost 100 casualties(in 24hrs) due to friendly ordinances

[@immikeurnot]

The Claymore clacker generates electricity when you squeeze it. That's why you give it two or three firm smacks; to make sure you get enough electricity down the wire to the detonator on the mine. Also works with other explosives, obviously, since the detonators are a standardized item.

[@eriktruchinskas3747]

Broken arrow was indeed the codeword for them for being overrun. For rhe green beret SOG guys it was called a prarie fire

[@SEAZNDragon]

i wonder if he was thinking "Danger Close." When I was a mortarman in the Marines that was the phrase we used for fire missions closed to friendlies.

[@moappleseider1699]

Just from reading "Across the Fence" I can tell this guy is way off on his knowledge.

[@Ganiscol]

It is still and has been for decades one of the terms describing incidents with nuclear weapons or reactors, as per DoD directive 5230.16, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Manual 3150.03B and USAF Instruction 10-206. So, he is right on the money. Danger Close is the proper term for dropping ordnance close to friendlies. Like he said, it may have been the code for that operation, it may not have been official nuke incident terminology at the time, but it has been for at least 4 decades if not more.

[@PJV1990]

@@Ganiscol Nobody freaking cares about what you wannabe soldiers googled! It has been documented with first hand testimony that 'broken arrow' was used over radio to describe a position being overrun. I'd rather trust actual veterans than a KZbin loser who is quoting goole like a little bth

[@Lowlandlord]

He specifically says that "is what is reported in the book", but at the same time, it had a different official meaning outside of this one specific instance. The question becomes why did it have this other different meaning in this one specific instance, and is there paper work to prove it instead of just someone's recollection. Recollections are quite fallible and can be the bane of accurate histories, going through archives has shown that many recollections printed by official sources after WW2 were incorrect. Although, for that it is largely because the primary purpose of printing some of those was that spreading propaganda to rehabilitate the German Here, which were though of as needed to fight the Soviets, and heap praise on people that we beat, so we must be better than these cool people.

[@TranscendianIntendor]

I asked a noticeably twitchy Viet Nam Veteran in the East Village Manhattan what was the best Viet Nam movie. He told me to watch 84 Charlie MoPic. I rented the tape and watched it with my girl. My girl and myself had trouble seeing the movie as a fiction. It hits as if it is a documentary. If you haven't seen it do what you can to find it and watch it. 10, it deserves a rating of 10 and I am surprised it isn't mentioned here.

[@bestestusername]

Yeh that's good I have seen it, Blair witch war movie

[@foxbat203]

I kept hoping it would get a mention, fairly overlooked piece of found film history.

[@foxbat203]

I kept hoping it would get a mention, fairly overlooked piece of found film history.

[@foxbat203]

I kept hoping it would get a mention, fairly overlooked piece of found film history.

[@Kier4n99]

​@@foxbat203WE HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME 😂

[@JuveVinny]

My father was in Vietnam with the Navy attached to MACV. He told me that Apocalypse Now was the movie that, to him, got the vibe right.

[@robertfarmer9901]

The scene in Platoon with the flares at night, my dad was in the Marines based out of An Hoa and talked about the flares and those shadows moving around all over the place and it was really confusing and difficult to focus. Also about the cameras in Full Metal Jacket, my dad bought a really nice Pentax in Vietnam and kept it with him through the war, and that was still our camera we used on family vacations and whatnot. I used it when I took photography in high school. He also bought a reel to reel tape player while he was there and somehow brought it back aftwr the war.

[@minehawx64]

I find it a bit odd that people think that Apocalypse Now was supposed to be accurate, when it's a movie adaptation of a book set in 1800's Africa, and was purely fiction. They just modernized it.

[@davisworth5114]

Well, not exactly............

[@thatnorwegianguy1986]

Some vets have defended Apocalypse Now and said that i really represented the confusion and the madness especially as the war dragged on

[@AndrewAMartin]

@@thatnorwegianguy1986 It might be more of an authentic representation, but that doesn't mean that it was entirely accurate, or that accuracy was even the goal...

[@chagadiel]

Yes it was hallucinogenic crazy vietnam war movie. Great one at that

[@nathanjames611]

Correct!

[@MemoryofSouthVietnam]

The inaccuracy of Vietnam War movies and documentaries is not what they depict, but what they don't. So much of the battles primarily fought by the South Vietnamese (some of them far larger than American ones) are glossed over or ignored. Now the general public have the impression that South Vietnam straight up didn't fight and it was a fully Vietnam vs. American war.

[@gulliverthegullible6667]

American Vietnam movies also gloss over all the atrocities the Americans inflicted on the Vietnamese. It is always all about how horribly the poor American boys suffered. That those boys were the perpetrators not the victims is deliberately ignored.

[@bicker31]

@@gulliverthegullible6667 "the gullible" is an accurate name for you, good work

[@gulliverthegullible6667]

@@bicker31 so which movies show the atrocities the Americans inflicted? About 76% of people killed in that conflict were civilians. I don't see that reflected in the movies. Point me to a good movie.

[@tenia5319]

Well, it kinda was. What i mean is, the war was escalated by the US for US interests. Of course South Vietnamese fought, and fought a lot, but they were an asset of US operations at large.

[@bicker31]

@@tenia5319 imagine reading so much propaganda you think a people are an asset of another country while fighting a civil war lol

[@michaelkenney3288]

My dad fought In Vietnam, he was in the 1st Marine Division. When “platoon” came out we saw it, after the movie he said, “that’s how it was” he added that he and the guys he served with did not do any drugs. He said any guy that did didn’t last long.

[@dantepearl4186]

My father was in the 3rd Marines and said the same thing

[@indigowendigo8464]

Easter egg. When the suicide bomber runs into the bunker and blows up, Oliver Stone is inside it. Not only is Platoon very realistic, its much more than a documentary. The philosophical divisions between the main characters reflect the entire American population at the time, and it is a timeless commentary on war itself

[@Madmij]

Should have done Danger Close, the film about the Australian forces in Vietnam.

[@alanmacpherson3225]

I agree I've read a couple of accounts of Long Tan and the movie is pretty accurate.

[@LupusSanguis]

​@alanmacpherson3225 I have some very minor issues with Danger Close, but nothing really worth mentioning. Only because of stories from my ex's dad, who was with the artillery there. I really like the film. I just wish he and my dad could have seen it. They both died hours apart shortly before the movie was released.

[@adambydand1214]

He wouldn't have known a thing about it...

[@patwxdaddy]

Good call! I think people should see 'Bright Shinning Lie'. It was a HBO movie about Lt.Col. John Paul Vann, one of two people who could have single handily prevented Vietnam. The Other being Col. Aaron Bank.

[@skylongskylong1982]

The Odd Angry Shot, about Australian SAS in Vietnam, is a very good film.

[@pvda64]

Great film with the mix of Aussie humour and the serious stuff but I'm not sure it was 100% accurate.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

19:40 That was not your typical ground pounding Marine wielding a pro Nikon body he scored from the PX. His assignment was as a photographer detailed to Stars and Stripes and his camera would have been issued to him for his duties.

[@TheBourbonWrench]

Id love for an uncut version of these because there's so many times where he clearly has A LOT more to say but they just cut it short. When he gave We Were Soldiers a 5, he went on a rant and I need to hear it!

[@karlmortoniv2951]

I’m glad to see “Go Tell the Spartans” get some love. It got eclipsed by all the big war movies that came out around the same time so not many people know about it now. My Dad served in Vietnam and he didn’t rate too many Vietnam War movies other than “…Spartans.” Burt Lancaster’s damn’ good in it as well.

[@TheLoachman]

One of my all-time favourites. So many good, quotable lines too.

[@user-jp5mn3bi2e]

Burt Lancaster was good in anything he was in.

[@SaroBW]

The major function of Special Forces during the Vietnam war was working with Vietnamese, and more importantly, the Montegnards. US Special Forces worked with the "Yards" to build and equip both strategic hamlets as well as rapid response militia militia. So it would have been quite common for them to work together on a joint missions. Quite different from "...maybe..." Would such a team have engaged in abducting a PAVN officer? Not likely: missions like that were usually done by units from the Special Operation Group (SOG). Yeah, John Wayne threw accuracy out the door with "The Green Berets", which he unapologetically stated was meant as a rebuttal to the "UnAmerican" protests against the war. I do agree that the respect shown for Vietnamese soldiers on both sides is admirable. And yeah, no "Hamburger Hill" is a dreadful oversight. Maybe in a ..."Rates more battles" video?

[@-Zevin-]

The "Montegnards" really really shows what the US thought of the Vietnamese people. Nobody in Vietnam called themselves the Montegnards, it was literally just a French term, like "Mountain men". We never had the respect to even learn what they called themselves, they were disposable pawns sent to slaughter, sure some fought well, then we abandoned them. You will find no love of American's in those territories today...

[@darthvader1772]

Special Forces was part of MACV-SOG in Vietnam, so yes a special forces team kidnapping or assassinating a high ranking NVA officer is not only likely to have happened but did happen many times. Look up Project GAMMA, it was a code name given to Detachment B-57 of the 5th Special Forces group that ran covert operations in Vietnam to locate Viet Cong, they even assassinated a South Vietnamese officer who was a mole on the behalf of the CIA Then there was Project DELTA made up of Detachment B-52 of the 5th Special Forces group who was designated as Hunter Killer teams, their mission was to provide recon in heavy Viet Cong areas, capture and interrogate officers and assassinate them, as well rescue downed pilots and POWs, bug compounds, counter intelligence and sabotage Then there was Project OMEGA made up of Detachment B-50 of the 5th Special Forces group, who conducted clandestine operations, much of them is still classified but it's heavily implied they were an assassination team Then there was Project SIGMA of Detachment B-56 who basically did the same thing as OMEGA only in Cambodia instead of Vietnam

[@djblackruss]

My father a Vietnam vet 67-69 Told me that Hamburger Hill was spot on because he was on Hill 875, and Platoon Smelled like Vietnam the vibe the darkness of triple canopy jungle the interaction and the language was 100%. Yet we have a non vet tell us everything but

[@GamerKatz_1971]

Platoon was directed by a Vietnam combat vet, who was advised by a Vietnam combat vet. Also I assume Hal Moore was fully aware of the orders he gave as he was there with his men during the battle just as depicted. These people did not dream up their experiences. And I take their word over a 'historian' any day.

[@menachem2521]

Ya this guy is a bit of a clown. More of a historian than a tactician.

[@pabs1888]

​@@menachem2521film danger close shows them firing on there own position

[@sureshot8399]

Gotta agree with that. A director may have to take some artistic licence in the interests of making an entertaining movie, but I'd take that interpretation 100% of the time over a historian if that director lived through it and the historian did not.

[@GamerKatz_1971]

@@sureshot8399 If you have a copy of Platoon, watch it with the commentary by Dale Dye if available. During the scene where the Platoon is in the village he says the extras would all gather up and be talking in Vietnamese and there were a few times where he and Stone had to walk off set and take a break because it was all getting a tad too real. Another example is one of Dyes jobs was to occasionally fire an M16 close to the camera for certain scenes. During the ambush scene when the claymores were set off he had been dozing and according to him launched out of his chair and had the rifle up to his shoulder before he stopped himself.

[@RickRoss440]

From the research I’ve done it seems most Veterans conclude that Platoon is the most realistic Vietnam War movie of all time and one of the most realistic depictions of modern war in general. If anyone wants to know what it would be like to serve in an infantry combat unit on the frontlines today watch Platoon.

[@NHinPA]

Eric L Haney spoke about a mission that Delta Force trained for to rescue POWs in Vietnam in the 1980s until Bo Gritz started talking about this. He mentions it in his book, so there must have been some evidence that there were still POWs for Delta to train for a mission

[@TheGravitywerks]

I quit watching 19sec in because he said "no evidence of MIA....." BS...we are still collecting them from N. Korea..

[@user-vj8gp9lw1l]

PFC Bobby Garwood. Was left behind buy choice or by capture.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Consider the source.

[@dkroll92]

bear in mind that Haney served in a unit that, years later during the GWOT, would routinely hit the wrong target as much as half the time even with the most advanced SIGINT and IMINT collection platforms the world had ever seen providing intel for them. Did they believe they had viable intel at the time? Yes. Did any of that intel end up being validated? To this day, none of it has.

[@slaystationgaming5585]

lol i like how he tried to explain the reason for the soldier in Full Metal Jacket having a camera was that they JUST DID SOMETIMES. He's either never seen the movie or they didn't tell him that the soldier was part of the journalism section of the war effort. in other words IT WAS HIS JOB TO HAVE THE CAMERA

[@stevecattani9545]

Nice touch adding GO TELL THE SPARTANS. I wasn't expecting that to show up. Good film.

[@nitramgnal]

Fabulous. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

[@babachloe7140]

We were soldiers for me is the end. There was no glorious charge into NVA hard defensive positions, by that time survival was the name of the game

[@Autobotmatt428]

Aside from that scene talked to some vets they give it about 80% to 70% accurate for the training, the main battle itself and how it depicted the battle and that type of warfare.

[@PatrickAshe41]

FWIW, my late father was USMC early in Vietnam, artillery observer, 64-65 including Operation Starlite. He also was a movie buff and saw most if not all of these. He definitely agreed with the consensus that the first half of FMJ was true to Parris Island. I have memories of him watching it with other Marines. As far as "true to life" war, he only said so much, but he particularly thought Platoon was overdramatized (even though Stone's a vet, of course) and that We Were Soldiers was the most accurate to the combat he experienced (even though that was Army, obviously).

[@JorgeCruz-mi5gc]

My grandfather served in Cambodia and Vietnam. While stationed at Fort Benning, I was lucky to have a long talk with General Hel Moore. It was great talking to the father of Air Assault.

[@jenniturtleburger3708]

I learned a lot! Thanks.

[@noface4176]

Robert garwood came home in 79 and he was captured in 1965 as a marine in Da Nang

[@frankb2602]

I don't think this guy is 100. But it's a no pay video, you roll the dice

[@Sokol10]

@@frankb2602 His options deserves 5/10 at the best.

[@MichaelMansi-is4pc]

He deserted to the enemy and was a collaborator.

[@noface4176]

@@MichaelMansi-is4pc didnt say he wasn’t

[@biggooders3001]

Nice, it's been a while 😂 i love these movie reviews

[@vsdube]

I appreciate his academic study of the war and it's operations. His commitment to go on site to gain knowledge and become a tour guide. But he was not a armed service soldier on the ground in the heat of the battle. To me that discounts his rating ability.

[@andymiller6661]

By that logic, we should discount every single hostorian

[@joeadd5911]

Great analysis!!!

[@marlonmoncrieffe0728]

No 'Hamburger Hill' (1987) nor the true story, 'Rescue Dawn' (2007), was commented on? And 'Casualties of War' (1989) was penned by a Vietnam War veteran!

[@patwxdaddy]

I like 'Rescue Dawn' but they ruined it for me in the opening scene they show him flying wearing a tankers helmet for a Multi million dollar film. At least 'Bat-21' and 'Flight of the Intruder' could afford flight helmets.

[@jasechurch5124]

This guy trying to pretend he knows more about how things worked in Vietnam better then Oliver stone lol

[@WilliamCruzing4photos]

I'm not impress with his history. I've known Vets, studied it and this guy shouldn't even be talking. Should be a Veteran talking about how accurate it was or wasn't.

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

​@@WilliamCruzing4photos That video already exists.

[@michaelkennedy5392]

As the son and nephew of Vietnam veterans, I have to take exception to several of the reviews in this video. For one, it seems like this professor only watched parts of the movies, not the whole thing. For starters, as others have said, the "soldier" with the "nice camera" in Full Metal Jacket was actually a Marine Photojournalist. Another big problem is that he only reviewed the ending mission in The Green Berets, not the highly accurate defense of the firebase that made up the majority of the movie. Lastly, as has also been already stated, the correct term for an American unit being overrun and calling in all available support in Vietnam was broken arrow. I think business insider needs alot better expert for this Vietnam video.

[@philippschwartzerdt3431]

Your Choice of “Go Tell the Spartans” and “Good Morning Vietnam” is great. I was missing tough “The Deer Hunter” and “Rescue Dawn”.

[@Goldy-zw7fp]

Would be nice to see two of the Australian movies, "Odd angry shot" and "Danger Close".

[@andrewsummerour3692]

Interesting how he brought up Dien Bien Phu, but also said a PAVN soldier blowing up a command bunker with a grenade is innacurate. That happened at Dien Bien Phu!

[@michaelkneale3825]

My belief was that the NVA were extremely effective in reconnaissance of American positions. Therefore, surely they would know where the command bunkers were.

[@voodoo1094]

Yeah the whole "Well it's night, you couldn't possibly see where the bunker is" logic seemed rather flawed. Sure you may not see very well at night, but it's not as if the bunker could just be moved around randomly. Targeting high priority targets such as those seems like an obvious choice and even if it goes wrong 99 of a 100 times, if there's one thing the VC could do, it was throwing people at problems.

[@davidperdue7506]

Problems because of finding it in the dark? The aerial flares had it lit up like broad daylight.

[@gapshot5065]

That was a sapper with a satchel charge not a grenade

[@fhlostonparaphrase]

"With a grenade"...sure looks like a suicide bomber to me. THAT is what he should have addressed, was that a common "tactic"?

[@timh3576]

I enjoyed it! Thank you!

[@scrublifenolife]

This is what happens when history is being told by people who weren’t there.

[@LupusSanguis]

I'd like to know his opinion on Danger Close. A story based around the Battle of Long Tan which heavily involved Australian and New Zealand combat in a rubber plantation. My ex"s deceased father served with the artillery during this battle. I have some small issues with the film, but I would love to hear a professor's viewpoint on the battle and film.

[@chrisrabbitt]

A bloke who couldn't get broken arrow correct and you want his opinion... try asking one of our vets who was actually in Vietnam, you will get a far more accurate answer. Just out of curiosity who's artillery did he serve in? Aussie, Kiwi or Yank?

[@LupusSanguis]

@chrisrabbitt a Gunner from the Aussie 1st Regiment Artillery. He died in 2019 a day and a half after my dad and a short time before the movie came out. I would have loved to have heard his thoughts on the movie.

[@danwebb6766]

@@LupusSanguis Lest we forget.

[@chrisrabbitt]

@@LupusSanguis Thank you for clarifying, given he was one of ours the biggest thing that would have stood out to him is they forgot to or didn't include the American Arty that was also firing in support from Nui Dat. There are a few other things that aren't quite right but as I said you would get a more accurate answer from one of our guys than an American uni professor. Also if you haven't seen it (highly unlikely) there is a documentary done about Long Tan by the same guy that is definitely required watching.

[@TheLoachman]

@@chrisrabbitt Highly recommended. It uses the actual radio messages as well. There are also dozens of videos about the battle, the aftermath, a meeting years later between a pair of Australian participants and two Vietnamese participants, and the making of the film on KZbin. The comments on most of those are well-worth reading through. Many are from family members and provide a lot of background. The Australian government treated these guys shabbily.

[@ADxG1369]

Bring Bill back again. Great video! Have him rate Hamburger Hill, Boys from Company C , The Odd Angry Shot, 84 Charlie Mopic & Danger Close!!!

[@krymera666x7]

An ex of mine had an uncle, who was Canadian that volunteered to go to Nam. I met him just after I had joined the army. This guy was fully benefiting from VA, and was completely gone. His PTSD was very severe and I felt for him. Looking back now, as a fully benefited veteran with PTSD, I’m way more understanding of how he struggles every day and what the real effects are on a person. Nothing but love for all the Nam vets.

[@TheGodDamnJets87]

Boys in company C and siege at firebase gloria are great flicks too!

[@ibubezi7685]

'Gloria' has the best human wave attack!

[@axnyslie]

Totally agree with the assessment of Apocalypse Now. A perfect work of art as a film, but pretty far from reality in it's Vietnam War portrayal.

[@casinodelonge]

But a lot of the dialog was written by Michael Herr and some of the scenes based on his book Dispatches. That book is like a series of vignettes that captures the mood of the war from his perspective rather than forming a historical synopsis of the 2nd Indochina War.

[@hossbeki9266]

It's based on heart of darkness by Joseph Conrad,the massacre of Congo people by king leopold of Belgium in 19 th century

[@rossbooth4635]

It's an adaptation of Heart of Darkness first, and a war film second. Makes sense that it got fantastical with the details.

[@carsonm7292]

Apocalypse Now as an adaptation of Heart of Darkness is supposed to be surreal. It starts out fantastical and over-the-top, then slowly descends into madness by the end of the story. I don't think you can fault Apocalypse Now from a historical perspective because that'd be faulting it for not being something it's not trying to be. It was using a contemporary setting as the backdrop to critique interventionism as opposed to Conrad's contemporary criticism of colonialism in his day; the purpose is not to be accurate but to be evocative in order to make a point.

[@verdigrau]

I wanted to hear what he thought of the Vietnam segment from Forrest Gump. Even though the movie's focus wasn't solely on the war, it was probably my first introduction to the Vietnam war as a kid and so it's stuck in my head when I think of the topic.

[@arthurcuelho7279]

I was born I 1966. I remember news videos showing videos from Vietnam. The memory that sticks with me was an M113 med evac, under fire, backing over the wounded. It was so brutal that no news agency today would ever display this in the news today.

[@sergeygrigorchuk]

I love how it shows massacre, And the host says “well, it was a regrettable mistake”

[@bigmike9558]

That’s funny several Vietnam vets told me Platoon got it right.

[@scottsevers6194]

I would love for this historian to look at " Danger Close " an Australian movie about the battle of Long Tan. I've listened to the original radio transcripts. It's a great movie

[@bradynorris1653]

“War is a racket” -Marine General Smedley Butler, 1935.

[@edwardbloecher4563]

Great video. I am a retired Army Infantryman. One thing though, Ross Perot actually did have 2 of his employees rescued from Iran in the 1970s.

[@TJTAS]

It's a shame "Danger Close" is not mentioned. I know it's an Australian film and probably doesn't have the international exposure of a Hollywood block buster but it is a solid film. I would like to here this guy's opinion on that film. For anyone interested in Vietnam war movies I highly recommend it.

[@TheOnceMoreGaming]

3:00 I'm surprised you didn't explain the quote. The reason he says he loves the smell is that Napalm was usually used as either an entrance or an exit strategy in order to guarantee safe passage of an area.

[@andrewcombe8907]

Best Vietnam movies of all times are both Australian - “The Odd Angry Shot” about an SASR unit and “Danger Close” about the Battle of Long Tan in 1966.

[@robvegas9354]

Good to see 'Go Tell The Spartans' get a mention!

[@douglasdea637]

I was hoping he'd get to Casualties of War (the one with Fox and Penn.) Maybe in part 2. Oh and Forest Gump and Hamburger Hill must be in part 2.

[@Janelectro]

And 84 Charly MoPic

[@zer0tzer0]

A couple things you might have mentioned, they could have gotten the boat into the river if they waited six hours for the tide to come in, but they wanted the morning off shore breeze so they could surf. However, the Nug River is fictional. There were no rivers near North Vietnam that went all the way from the sea into Cambodia. But that fits in with the source material, Heart of Darkness.

[@ibubezi7685]

Which is about an African river... 😉

[@alexdelarge209]

'Go Tell the Spartans' with Burt Lancaster set back in '64 is never reviewed & is one, if not the, best Vietnam movies made.

[@granitesevan6243]

Only just noticed that's R. Lee Ermey checking out that large weapon system in Apocalypse Now

[@DoctorWondertainment-sb9ee]

He was also Kilgore’s chopper pilot.

[@user-jp5mn3bi2e]

He was one of the Chopper pilots.

[@majorhicksusmc]

I served with Delta Co 1st Bn 3rd Marines in Vietnam 66-67 as a machine gunner. I participated in 22 combat operations. I didn’t watch any Vietnam war movies for over 20+ years. The first one I ever watched was Platoon, which I thought was pure crap. It put me off from watching any other Vietnam war movies for another 10 years. The next was Full Metal Jacket. The only part of the movie that was accurate was the first half, which was the depiction of boot camp, but even that went off the rails with the killing of Hartman. It takes place after the recruits have graduated Bootcamp. The rifles are all turned back into the armory before graduation, plus it would be impossible to take a live round off the range. The rounds are counted out to each shooter, there’s a coach for every two shooters, every round is accounted for. If a recruit was going to kill his drill instructor, it would take place at the range where he has his rifle with him and access to ammo, and not after graduation where there rifle has been turned in before graduation. Forest Gump was more accurate than any of the movies he has reviewed, except for We were Soldiers, which I thought was pretty good, at least it was based on an actual fight. Otherwise, I don’t watch Vietnam war movies. They seem to all have an agenda they are pushing.

[@crownprincesebastianjohano7069]

A machine gunner and you are still with us. I hope you are well.

[@majorhicksusmc]

@@crownprincesebastianjohano7069 I’m currently fighting two Agent Orange cancers.

[@pvda64]

I'd be interested in your opinion of Danger Close - The Battle of Long Tan which was a 2019 Australian made film based on the Lon Tan attack in August 1966.

[@majorhicksusmc]

@@pvda64 I have not watched it. I’ve pretty much have sworn off Vietnam war movies. I’ll take a look at it and let you know.

[@user-jp5mn3bi2e]

@@majorhicksusmc Prayers sir. Thank you for coming back.

[@StudioMod]

"Guy who wasn't in Vietnam talks about Vietnam when we could have gotten someone who was there". Thanks

[@zaynevanday142]

100% 💯

[@fhlostonparaphrase]

The best would have been a combination, a vet turned historian.

[@Brainiaccccc]

a vet would be biased, any American or Vietnamese probably is biased. Also, a veteran soldier has advantage only in telling story about his/her unit, operation and/or location. To know the big picture you still have to rely on testimony from other people, which any historian could do, being hopefully, unbiased and critically thinking.

[@StudioMod]

@@BrainiacccccPointlessly argumentative take. History itself is biased, my guy.

[@hazardeur]

still better to hear it from a historian that has knowledge of first hand accounts than from some grunt that was there who typically has much less incentive of delivering a neutral sentiment @@StudioMod

[@ldjb8648]

My pops who served in the Nam with the 1st ID and MACV, said we were soldiers was the most accurate one he had seen. And for all the Nam vets, WELCOME HOME!

[@vonjororo]

Appreciate the 'Sources' outro!

[@chrischerry2955]

Broken arrow is still used to this day when troops are in danger of being overun to allow aircrew to drop closer than they normally would (very simple examination). It's basically a last resort call.

[@nicolas44991]

I tought the modern use of Broken Arrow was about a lost nuclear weapon ?

[@jaspersmith5748]

Danger close?

[@ZeroOne-mp1qe]

​@@jaspersmith5748 only used for when you call in air support and you request it within about 600m of your position

[@Ganiscol]

No its not. Broken Arrow is one of the official terms describing incidents with nuclear weapons or reactors. In this case, a nuclear weapon that is (amongst other things but not limited to) no longer in possession and/or under control of the military, damaged or accidentally detonated. These terms, including Broken Arrow, are outlined in DoD directive 5230.16, Chairman Joint Chief of Staff manual 3150.03B and USAF Instructions 10-206 for internal and external use. They are official terminology. Anybody yelling that into a radio for the purpose you describe, is going to cause quite a bit of hectic confusion up and down the chain of command. Dropping ordnance close to friendlies is indeed called 'danger close'.

[@jadger1871]

@@Ganiscol lol Who's controlling nuclear missile launches via radio? There's a lot more secure means that are actually used. Words can have different meanings depending on context. You never say "repeat" (unless, as a FOO/FAC you really mean it) over military radio, but if someone says it over the CB no one will bat an eye.

[@The_Not_So_Great_Cornholio]

I've read a decent amount about Vietnam and my feeling is that the suicide guy who ran into the command bunker is absolutely plausible. The NVA were sneaky and would have already determined where the command bunker was. And they absolutely came inside the wire at night. I've read about soldiers who would wake up and see shadows running through camp: NVA.

[@subzero9113]

And from what family member who were in Vietnam said that there were Vietkong IN the wire sometimes. Occasionally they would catchone counting off morter pits or Machine gun nests.

[@Desomorphinum]

Bro this guy reads more about Vietnam in a year than you did your whole life. If he saids it's not realistic then you better believe it

[@RSWT79]

⁠@@DesomorphinumVC/PAVN/NVA sappers ready to die for their mission was the norm… they had a suicidal mission from the start, the bunker was the donut. Don’t read all your news from one source..

[@The_Not_So_Great_Cornholio]

@@subzero9113 sneaky bastards

[@The_Not_So_Great_Cornholio]

@@Desomorphinum I guess if the non-fiction I read doesn't match what he is saying I guess there's a problem.

[@michaelgross7016]

actually there was so much evidence that pows were left behind that delta was ordered to prepare a rescue mission in 1981. the mission got scrubbed, but operators from that era say the Intel was rock solid that about 100 men were being held in Laos. also, under oath, former secretary of defense laird and former secretary of defense schlesinger both stated men were left behind. This based on intel they had access to. They said this under oath to the senate select committee. we left them behind, and we failed to rescue them. sad fact.

[@taproom113]

Exactly. Navy Commander Harley Hall was shot down on January 27, 1973 ... the last offensive day of the war. He was never returned. Recently, the family received a few teeth confirmed to be Harley's from his last dental exam (which recorded his teeth as extremely healthy), but scientific examination showed "years of periodontal disease due to chronic malnutrition". So it was confirmed he was alive and in captivity for many years 'after the war'. Harley's case is not the only similar one. Guess this guy missed the memo. ^v^

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Jury's still out, you're allowed to be convinced privately, but it takes longer for enough evidence to be collected to cause people with skin in the game - who rely on their credibility - to throw their weight behind a claim.

[@macjeez1450]

I was in Vietnam in 67 & 68. Oliver Stone served in Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division and served in a direct combat contact situation. I served with the 145th Combat Aviation Battalion(Hueys). Some confrontations got very horrendous with heavy casualties that many know nothing about including the professor. Platoon is accurate in many details and aspects.