The Vietnam War Film 'Full Metal Jacket'

Soldiers were dying, and they continued to be sent over to fight. The war itself provided a major wave of anti-war rhetoric that is still prominent today. The anti-war rhetoric was pushed through politicians, celebrities, concerts, protests, average citizens of different economic classes, but most importantly through song. “In the 1960s, several now-influential artists appealed to the disaffected counterculture’s emphasis on peace and love, especially with the sliding approval rates of the Vietnam War. As public approval of the Vietnam War dwindled in the latter half of the 1960s, popular music artists began to record songs that reflected this disapproval and ultimately became a new method of protest (Hopkins).” Not to mention, “not only has music been a direct means of anti-war protest, but the culture of peace and love, seen especially in the Woodstock festival, has also pervaded the minds of the public” (Hopkins).

That wasn't the only problem though, most of the troopers that got drafted didn't want to be in this war against North Vietnam. The song " I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag", sung by Country Joe and the Fish is an honorable example of how the citizens were feeling during the time of war. This song was created based on how the American citizens viewed the Vietnam war. The loved ones of the general population were being drafted and dying for a complication that the government tried to fix. The purpose of this song was to make it clear to the government what was actually happening in the eyes of the public.

The author, Joseph Heller, creates the character of Yossarian as a way to express his true beliefs of what heroism is. The book Catch-22 has impacted many people with how it refers to war and the way the soldiers fought and survived it. Joseph Heller created a new way of how to view the war and how most of the soldiers felt through it at that time. The approach that Heller took towards the meaning of war and what truly happens in it was formed when he himself served. Today, some soldiers still have that feeling, but not quite as strong as back then.

Also, to Joe it is a hypocrisy that “they” use the word “we” when they mention fighting. But in reality, the only ones who are fighting the war are the soldiers while “they” sit back and watch. In addition, would someone decide to go to war all because of a song? Well, the use of pro-war songs are popular advertisements. Songs, words and lyrics are everywhere even when soldiers are leaving, therefore, escaping war propaganda is unfeasible.

This is particularly impactful segment of the speech due to the fact that Kerry explains how the soldiers of Vietnam will not stay quiet and keep America’s so called dirty secret, but stand up and expose the wrongdoing that was done by America. For example, “We who have come here to Washington have come here because we feel we have to be winter soldiers now. We could come back to this country, we could be quiet, we could hold our silence, we could not tell what went on in Vietnam, but we feel because of what threatens this country, not the reds, but the crimes which we are committing that threaten it, that we have to speak out”(John F. Kerry). Kerry also defends the people of Vietnam in the sense that they do not even fully grasp the reasoning behind the war in the first place. It is here that Kerry makes the point that the Vietnam war is a destructive waste of human life and time.

Everyone was getting hurt and these wealthy officials kept their hands clean from miles away. They used the idea of patriotism for the fatherland to get people to enlist for the war. Patriotism, in no way, is a bad thing, however, when one is guilt tripped into believing that their fear of dying in war is actually a lack of devotion to their country, it becomes entirely wrong. One must understand that the majority of the soldiers fighting in World War I had no dispute with the other side and they had only joined, to protect the country they had grown up in and learned to love. These citizens should have been shown the reality because, painful or not, the soldiers who died on the battlefield a decade ago, deserved to know what they were signing up

Steven Spielberg’s "Saving Private Ryan" was one of the first movies to show the worst terrors of war in film. Showing scenes in the movie of soldiers screaming for their mothers as they watch their entrails fall out of them. Steven Spielberg choice of the phenomenal cast greatly exhibited the toll of war on man and the nation. Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan is what the viewers can describe as an anti-war movie, which can be seen through the extreme violence and drama. Speilberg use of establishing ethos, pathos, logos, and specific camera angles is what really propelled this movie earn all the respect the movie truly deserves.

you can't fight in here. this is the war room!” is trivialising politicians, even though they are absorb in war and power, actual conflicts would be a disaster. Or the visual comedy of the slogan “Peace is our profession” being on a billboard with multiple bullet holes in it due to the war that is taking place around being another example of the satirising of the American government. The theme of “Appearance vs Reality” in regards to how the American government want to be viewed contrasted to how they actually are, is significant throughout the film. I conducted a focus group with the intention of analysing how people react to satire by screening all 95 minutes of the film and I encouraged them to discuss their thoughts on the film

The broadcast of music was censored and songs of protest were restricted from playing on the “Armed Forces Radio”. In response, soldiers rebelled and brought their own music which was comprised of many anti-war songs, since it was popular at the time in the U.S. An example of a popular anti-war song includes Edwin Starr’s “War”. The Soldiers became involved in influencing others through the media, by being interviewed by a journalist, Morley Safer. This CBS Journalist had made reports about these soldiers by portraying their lives outside of the battlefield. She showed them writing letters concerning private thoughts that they had.

“The Sniper” is just one example of how war affects people mentally. When you’re in the battleground, you don’t consider others. In fact the only thing on your mind is to kill the enemy. You continue fighting til the bitter end. You fight til the end, also when you tears families apart.

Robin is from Harlem, NY and was living a normal life until the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He felt as if he was obligated to serve in the military to defend his home and his country. His father was outraged and was against it but his uncle understands his decision to wants him to defend the country. His father has no choice but to respect his decision even though he doesn’t like it. On the plane going to the U.S. military base in Doha, he meets a few of his fellow soldiers.

Foul language, which I won 't repeat. In fact, I’d rather not say anything at all. (29). Most of John’s problems relate to his experiences in My Lai, where his platoon was ordered to eliminate the “Viet Cong” in the village. Because the men had seen so much in Vietnam and because of how the war was fought (Guerrilla warfare), they had little to no remorse when gunning down children and woman.

Government officials knew that citizens were unable to withstand the gruesome photos taken of the realities of the war. Showing real images that featured the outcomes of war would have caused Americans to become disheartened thus decreasing American morale. To insure victory, the government enforced the use of censorship throughout the nation. In one propaganda poster, the caption reads “Let’s Censor Our Conversation About the War” (“Censored”). The propaganda poster revealed the extent of which the government kept a eye and ear to all American citizens as an attempt to preserve American loyalty.

There is typically a definitive reason behind why a particular memorial is placed where it is, especially when the memorial commemorates a certain war. There is no doubt that the United State’s involvement in the division of Vietnam is questionable, however, American lives were taken away from their friends and families as a result of the government’s decision to go to war. The lives of those who fought for our nation were cut short, and their remembrance will surely be lost in time if they are not memorialized. Memorials are representative of past memories, both good and bad, and are largely developed out of respect towards those who lost their lives. Providing the public with a memorial, such as the Philadelphia Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, allows for the people to gain further insight into the events that led up the present; past events define the modern world.

According to the film and book “American Sniper", Chris only felt bad about the lives he couldn 't save, not the ones he did. He had no problem killing the enemy but could not bear to see his fellow servicemen be killed. Many marines look up to him as a savior because he was their only protection when walking down hostile streets. Enemy soldiers would hide and ambush so Kyle would prevent them from ambushing. He has had confirmed kills from over a mile away that most natural men wouldn’t be able to do.