Film Synthesis Essay

Film is a different medium through which to convey historical experiences of war and its social and cultural contexts. As learned throughout class, memoirs and non-fiction portrayals of war are excellent sources in which to learn of war and its effects on society and vice versa. Film, however, is no better or worse than these books. Throughout the semester, the class learned of the development of modern warfare since the Civil War in the late nineteenth century and the society that surrounded these wars. In addition to the readings done, seven films were viewed in relation to each war talked about. Each of these films portrays aspects of war and society as discussed in class. Along with the readings done, these films help bring people closer to
Chief Phillips decided to perform a routine search of a Vietnamese boat on the river to check if they were running weapons for the Vietcong or NVA. Chef boarded the boat to hand search the materials on board. His complete lack of respect for these people could be seen instantaneously as he began pushing and throwing these men and woman around the boat. While this was happening Clean was operating one of the boats’ guns to ensure their safety. He began taunting their fear and calling them “slopes”. This culminated when the women on the boat moved toward Chef to stop him from looking in a container. Clean opened fired, killing everyone on board the boat. Racism, as well as irresponsibility and fear as Samuel Hynes would put it, is what would allow such an atrocity to happen. Soldier’s were “unused to taking responsibility or making moral decisions [and then] dropped into an alien and fearful place” (Hynes, pg. 184). The fact that Clean viewed these people more as animals than humans, combined with his immaturity and fear as a seventeen year old, made it easier for him to open fire and kill everyone over what ended up being a hidden