Full Metal Jacket: Life In The Military During The Vietnam War

The 1960’s was a time of unrest with events like the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War at their peak during this time. The Vietnam War started in 1955 and continued until 1975. A high level of controversy and protest began in the 1960’s and lasted until the end of the war in 1975. In the movie Full Metal Jacket, the viewers learn the reality of life in the military during the Vietnam War. Director Stanley Kubrick depicts the challenges of a soldier, both before and during the war. The movie sheds light on the biased version of the war that the United States government tried to portray to its citizens. Ultimately, Americans realized the horrors of an unwinnable war, and this fed into the rebellious culture of the 1960s. Full Metal Jacket takes place in two halves. The first half begins in a boot camp for military draftees who are being prepared to fight in Vietnam, even though they have not yet been assigned to a combat post. When they arrive at the Paris Island Camp in South Carolina, all

The Tet Offensive was a major turning point in the war for American support. The Tet Offensive occurred during what was known as Tet, or the Vietnamese new year. It was supposed to be a temporary mutual cease fire between both sides, in order to celebrate the holiday and honor the lives of the dead. However, the Viet Cong decided to attack during the holiday and launch a massive offensive against South Vietnamese cities, including Hue and the capital, Saigon. The effects of this offensive, “… was a military victory for the United States, but American morale suffered an insurmountable blow.” (The Independence Hall Association) Even though the United States did not loose as many soldiers as the Viet Cong, it was still declared an American victory. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration claimed that the United States and the South Vietnamese won the