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The Black Experience in Vietnam a Veteran's View of 'Platoon'

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The Black Experience in Vietnam a Veteran's View of 'Platoon' The Black Experience in Vietnam By Sarah Hruska ^ _____________________ On Tuesday, February 18th. Lawrentians had the opportunity to hear about the Vietnam experience from a black perspective. Wallace Terry, author of Bloods," a first hand account of black soldiers in Vietnam, spoke to Lawrence students in Riverview lounge about his experiences as a Time Maga/me reporter in Saigon, South Vietnam, and the experiences of many of the black soldiers he met there. The presentation was sponscrcd by the Black Organization of Students. According to Mr. Terry. "Bloods" combines the two most important events of the 1960s: the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War. The work is based on Terry’s own obseivations of Vietnam from 1967-1969, as well as the oral accounts from several veterans interviewed for the book. Mr. Terry explained some of the difficulties the black soldier in Vietnam had to face in addition to the horror of war. The black soldier became the ferry related several anecdotes, ranging soldiers but Terry pointed out thal when never as officers or in other positions of victim of Soviet propaganda intended tofrom the amusing to the upsetting, the veterans returned they were unable to power lhat some blacks held wi Vietnam. drive them away from their white which illustrated the experiences of black discuss their racial enlightenment Mr. Terry’s speech was followed comrades as well as the internal prejudice soldiers in Vietnam, as well as their because of the anti war sentiment had by a siidc presentationo f pictures Terry of the Army. Black soldiers received heroism. He claimed that despite reached a fever pitch at home. took while in Vietnam, accompanied by fewer promotions and were assigned prejudice, in many cases, blacks and Mr. Terry also discussed the recordings of Vietnam veterans relating more dangerous positions in line. As a whiles were truly integrated and said "In absence of blacks in American war films their experiences. result of this, up to 22 percent of a measure, one of ihe dreams of Martin and pointed out that even modem and American casualties were black. This is Luther King came true in Vietnam.” relatively realistic movies based on a relauvely large figure, since only 11% Some of his stories related true Vietnam, such as "Platoon," portrayed of the U.S. population is black. Mr comaradcrie between black and white black soldiers as "noble savages" and A Veteran's View of 'Platoon' By Steve Siegel master the facts of the event being sessions. "'Plaioon' lacks historical portrayed, or due to poor production. Sykes also thought that the perspective," said Sykes, who noted thal most Americans also lack historical The movie "Platoon" has been A Vietnam combat veteran could comaradcrie of the soldiers was not well perspective vis-a-vis Vietnam. And tins, sweeping the nation since the beginning likely see these Haws. represented. "I was assigned to Army, according to Sykes, led to the "real of 1987. It has been discussed in earnest Tom Sykes, the director of the Marine, and Navy units," said Sykes, tragedy of the war", which was portrayed on television, in the nauonal media, and l^awrcnce Media Ccntcr, loeated on the who said thal units' personnel got very in the movie in a scene in which the in offices and schools. second floor of the Seeley G. Mudd tight with cach other during their stay together. This, he continued, is not a plaioon plunders a Vietnamese village, It has been hailed by professional library, is a veteran of combat in denial of the presence of personal searching for weapons and massacring cntics, whose job it is to find flaws in Vietnam. He served during the height of conflicts, but, rather, thal the internal civilians when they rcluse to divulge the Hollywood’s offerings, as well as the the war. during the period of the Tet squabbling was overplayed in the film. location of hidden weapons. public at large as a war movie which offensive, in 1968, and he believes that, "PlaUxm" accurately displayed the Sykes argues that had Americans docs justice to the Vietnam expenence as while Platoon" is an improvement over rampant use of drugs such as marijuana il really was, not as it was relived by past Hollywood efforts to capture the understood that the villagers had been and hash, he said, but the movie masters of cartoon-style war movies such events that transpired in Southeast Asia threatened by the Viet Cong noi to incorrectly displayed their use in the as Sylvester Stallone ("First Blood") and during the 1960's and 1970's, it still fails divulge any information, they would not Chuck Norris ("Invasion U.S.A."), m some cnucal respects. field. Sykes said thal overt drug use in have desired to maim Vietnamese women the field simply did not happen; there among others. Sykes emphaucaily stated thal he and children. The villagers were, said was, he said, a great deal of peer pressure But most of those who have, in would be "absolutely crushed if (his] Sykes, between a rock and a hard place. to avoid such use because "it could get large part, been responsible for the friends and acquaintances" had come out They were unwilling pawns in a chess amazing success of "Platoon", which has of a screening of "Platoon" thinking that you killed." And, Sykes wisely noted, it game being played out by the Viet now been nominated for eight Academy the characters portrayal were in any way could get others killed, too. Cong. Awards, including Best Picture of 1986 comparable to him. He said he can American soldiers in Vietnam Sykes added lhat "too many vets (it was released in December, 1986), identify with circumstances and operated on a buddy system - "your life are opposed to Vietnamese refugees were not soldiers in Vietnam; pure experiences illustrated in the movie, but was in your buddy's hands," said Sykes, entering this country because they lack numbers dictate thal fact. And that raises his personal experiences there did noi who added that a soldier is noi going tothe historical perspective" which would an important issue: those in the media always match. Sykes maintained thal the want someone who is not in complete explain this unfortunate situation. telling the rest of us that this movie is movie "is not definitive"; he added that itcontrol of all of his faculties standing The role of blacks was not realistic -- can they be believed? is simply "one person’s experience". He guard for the others while they sleep. accurately depicted in the film cither, said To a certain extent, an reiterated that "many things depicted Sykes said thal there was some Sykes, who argues that the movie experienced movie cntic can identify happened" but they were not the norm. "deliberate killing of drug users in the indicates that they were not an "integral when a movie is clearly not on a parallel The movie fails, according to field" simply to avoid having a person in part of the war." Sykes said such an with the truth. Elements of Sykes, to capture the boredom of the such a condition be responsible for interpretation is incorrect, and it was his sensationalism are easily detected by routine in Vietnam. There were times, he others' lives. understanding thal "when the shit hit ihc learned people. However, a movie continued, when there was literally 'Drugs were cheap and plcntilul," fan (when a firelight erupted), everyone avoiding the pitfalls of sensationalism nothing to do. The war was not non-stop said Sykes, but it was confined to rear was an equal. " may still succumb due to a failure to ambushes, firefighls, and strategy (secure) areas. PLATOON cont. on p. 8 Friday, February 20, 1987 Page 2 | P L , . r~4 . i ' ' '■■■ * .... —»•-■ .........—- Editorial Veterans' Boards Should be Updated "indicative of the public perception of And if you stop not only to look conflict, in which more lhan 56,000 Hy Steve Siegel the war." but to think, you might notice American men perished. Sykes said he would "very much something else. Then again, you may Sykes did some digging, and has Have you ever suxxl in the lobby like to see names placed up fon the not; I didn't. thus far unearthed one name, a 1964 of the Memorial Union between board]...it's an ongoing challenge." But Tom Sykes did. Tom Sykes graduate, as having died in Vietnam. He Riverview Lounge and The drill and It's sad that it has to be a paused to look at the list of names of is the director of Lawrence's Media added that he "hopes there aren't any challenge. Let’s give the recognition that Lawrcnce alumni who fought and died for Ccntcr, located in the Seeley G. Mudd more, but it is unlikely; the war spanned is so absolutely deserved. their country? library. And as a Vietnam veteran, he is a generation." The war officially ended more If you haven't, perhaps you more disposed to be alert to certain than ten years ago. South Vietnam should. events and conditions. One thing he surrendered in 1975. Why were ihe It helps bring into perspectiveIhc noticed is the omission of any names of names of Lawrence alumni who made the legacy of wretched destruction that is war lawrcncc alumni who died in Vietnam. by focusing upon an institution to Perhaps there were none? Sykes ultimate sacrifice never displayed? Sykes suggested that, although it whose numbers we can better relate. This thought of such a scenario, albeit briefly, is in contrast to the enormous figures dismissing such a notion as wishful was probably not intentional, it was tossed about by the Pentagon, which arc thinking.
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