Literature-Based Movies for Vietnam War History: Explore the Conflict Through Literature, Art and Film

The Vietnam Conflict has been a painful and difficult subject to explore. For those of us in the US who remember it, we struggle to explain it to those who do not. Vietnam differed from other wars in many ways. Vietnam was a little known country with two halves: north and south. As with so many countries, a civil dispute erupted in which one half wanted to dominate the other. As Americans, we were pretty anti-communist. When the Kamir Rouge (communist group) in the North wanted to take control of their non-communist brothers in the south, some Americans felt obliged to send help, in the form of US soldiers and sailors. Vietnam, although lasting longer than any conflict or war the US had ever fought, was never classified as a war; Vietnam is called a military police action. A moot point when you are injured or dying, I imagine.

And the Vietnam soldiers faced a whole different enemy than any other soldier (with the exception of the soldiers and sailors in the Pacific in WWII). No Geneva convention rules of honorable and gentlemanly warfare here. Our Vietnam veterans returned having seen and suffered atrocities like nothing on this earth. Agent Orange poisoning (our government's weed killer that killed and damaged more soldiers than weeds) to mine-laden children, to jungle tactics that made medieval torture chamber's look like a tea party. Most vets will hardly allow you to mention Nam to them.

Another difference was the negative response by many to the 'police action'. Dying for our freedom was one thing; dying to keep one tiny country from controlling it's tiny neighbor was quite another. And lastly and perhaps saddest of all, was the reception the returning soldiers got from their countrymen. Hate chants and spitting from many of their age-mates and former friends; cold shoulders from fellow vets of other wars, mainly because the Vietnam vets had not returned in triumph. Is it any wonder that PTSD rages?

But we have to educate students about the conflict; here are some films and literature based movies to explore with your students. Most of these films are rated R, they are realistic and brutal. If you show them you may want to get parental permission first. You can also get some in a sanitized version which should not impact the story too much. It depends on how much leeway you have in your class, the age of your students and your own take on the effect of shock value.

Platoon (Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker, Charlie Sheen and believe it or not, Johnny Depp 1986) Respected director Oliver Stone won 4 Oscars with this story. Not as bad as it was warned to be, Platoon was not needlessly graphic. We see Vietnam from the eyes of a very young recruit; we get not only a glimpse of the conflict but also a good image of the dual nature of man and of war.

A Thin Red Line: (James Jones) Although this story is the author's autobiographical account of his experiences in the Pacific in WWII at Guadalcanal, TRL is a great film to watch in comparison and contrast to Platoon or other Vietnam stories. It helps students explore jungle warfare in contrast to other battles. This movie has the longest most impressive cast list in a modern movie: George Clooney, John Travolta, Nick Nolte, Adrian Brody, John Cusack, Jim Caviezel, Jared Leto, Sean Penn, Tim Blake Nelson, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, John Savage and many more.

Full Metal Jacket(Gustav Hasford) Stanley Kubrick's expose of Vietnam and its dehumanizing effect on soldiers. 1987, Matthew Modine.

The Deer Hunter: (Michael Cimino) 1978 Winner of 5 Oscars, this story examines the effect of Vietnam on a small industrial town in the US. This movie is controversial and chilling. Well-cast with Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep.

First Blood (David Morrel, author) Stallone, 1982. Many might disagree with me about this one; First Blood spawned the Stallone Rambo series which decayed into quintessential blood lust saga. The original, First Blood, however showed a very compelling view of a returning Special Forces Green Beret and his abusive reception back to life in the US. We feel his concomitant defeat and degradation which sparked his reign of terror. We see the things Rambo saw in Vietnam; we see the brutality visited upon him and its destruction on his senses. First Blood is not a story of revenge, but of despair.

These novels and films should help you to bring home some important concepts surrounding the Vietnam conflict.