Script review - "Platoon" by Oliver Stone

George MacDonald Fraser pointed out that this film shows why American lost Vietnam - they didn't have an army. Squabbling amongst themselves, whacked out on drugs, ill disciplined, cowardly, stupid, poor strategy... it's depressing to think a war was fought that way. Barnes spends most of his time tormenting fellow soldiers, Chris has battle success going nuts with a gun, even Elias the "good soldier" (homoerotically described by Stone - in the script he's an India) is stoned most of the time and leading a drug taking ring. There is not one good soldier in the whole script except for maybe the captain. Powerful and moving and terrifying. No love letter to the Vietnamese either, who wail, shoot and torture.