Was O'Neil a coward at the end?
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stevekaczynski — 9 years ago(June 29, 2016 05:27 AM)
He is a fictional character though there were no doubt real-life examples of him. The character is quite unpleasant. (McGinley is a good actor, especially of types like that.) He is a wise-ass to subordinates, grovels to superiors and is openly afraid of combat. I pity those he commands after the film action ends because if there is any trouble he will run and leave his men to deal with it.
"Chicken soup - with a beep straw." -
haynese_98 — 9 years ago(June 29, 2016 12:31 PM)
If they would have given Red his overdue R&R he would have stood up and fought. I think the message from Platoon is that the whole way the "war" was fought was unfair. Incompetent leadership, the good guys get wasted for nothing, fighting amongst themselves more than against the enemy. Even inside this one small platoon it's divided and sure enough, one of their own leaders(Elias) gets shot one of his own peers..and nobody does anything about it.
What's Red supposed to do? Die in the jungle for nothing? He doesn't have support from his leaders, he doesn't have support from his peers, he doesn't even have support from his own country! His morale is completely destroyed so he just does what he can to survive and maybe he will see Betsy again.
Shall we play a game? -
conrrad — 9 years ago(June 17, 2016 04:45 AM)
"Those who judge are not qualified to do so"
OBVIOUSLY NOT MANY COMMENTATORS WITH MILITARY EXPERIENCE
The ACT of Cowardice is judged according to facts and specific circumstances as well as a simple "What is expected? What has been Agreed? and What is best for the Army/Nation/Soldier?"
It's pure silliness for any Armchair, Couch Potato Generals to claim "Cowardice" who have never faced death or terrible danger in Combat. NOTHING in life comes close and judgement of others who have no experience is useless, pompous and self-righteous.
Was HE a coward? Sure did seem that way throughout movie. Was that specific ACT cowardly? NO. Even the Army itself will tell all soldiers "We do NOT win Wars or Battles by dying for our Country. Making the Enemy die for his is the goal."
Living to be a fighting part of tomorrow's Army is not Cowardice when you would have otherwise been totally wasted~ -
stevekaczynski — 9 years ago(June 29, 2016 10:39 PM)
Court martial boards consist of serving officers though they may not have combat experience. Anyway, combat soldiers who are left to deal with an NVA assault while the O'Neills run or hide might take a less charitable view.
"Chicken soup - with a beep straw." -
The_Ultimate_Hippo — 9 years ago(July 07, 2016 03:16 PM)
O'Neil pretty much was a coward but I'm not going to judge him on the dead body incident, I have a feeling most of us in that situation would react similarly rather than going John Matrix on the entire North Vietamnese army.
"I really wish Gia and Claire had became Tanner" - Honeybeefine -
Staropramen — 9 years ago(July 27, 2016 09:46 PM)
He and Barnes both came across to me as veterans of multiple tours of duty. IF that is the case, I can only wonder why a man like him (or anyone) would volunteer to go through all of that again.
If it WAS his first and only tour, I don't blame him for doing what he did. I'd be inclined to think his experience would benefit the platoon and any reinforcements soon filling in for those killed or wounded. It has been awhile but if any of the other experienced guys lived and stayed behind their experience might serve the same purpose. -
kidd-simon — 9 years ago(December 05, 2016 10:58 PM)
Not a nice guy at all, he was a bully but to call him a coward is maybe wide of the mark. King says at one point something like there is no such thing as a coward here which I think is true and is one of the key lines in the film.
It smells like a Spin Doctors concert in here. -
stevekaczynski — 9 years ago(December 08, 2016 12:18 AM)
It reminds me of a possibly apocryphal story about Marlon Brando before he started his acting career. He was enrolled as a cadet in a military school and he was asked, "if you find your commander lying dead on the field of battle, what do you do?" Brando replied, "Run like hell." He was promptly expelled.
"Chicken soup - with a beep straw." -
Neil_Williamson — 9 years ago(January 16, 2017 06:42 PM)
Just watched it again and to be honest there is little else he could do in the situation- there are about a dozen VC swarming down to his bunker and he is the only one alive there so if he had tried to fight he definitely would have been killed. It was a smart move to hide under the dead body at that point, but perhaps unrealistic that they wouldn't have checked he was dead - you can see his helmet when they look down into the hole.
Junior, however is definitely a coward, hides in the bunker for the whole fight, but clever enough to stab himself in the leg when he comes out from his bunker so he can get to go home injured. -
kidd-simon — 9 years ago(January 16, 2017 08:21 PM)
Good post but its not Junior who stabs himself at the end its Francis, Junior gets stabbed to death by the Viet Cong during the battle after trying to run away I think.
I've already posted on this but I think its easy to label people cowards without taking everything into consideration. The guy stabbing himself at the end could be looked on that way but after what he has just witnessed the previous night could you blame him or anyone else for wanting to escape that madness?
It smells like a Spin Doctors concert in here. -
kidd-simon — 9 years ago(January 16, 2017 08:13 PM)
I used to think he was a coward but now not so sure. If you were put in that position with all that chaos would you not consider saving yourself? Its very easy to judge from afar.
It smells like a Spin Doctors concert in here. -
ruffian82 — 9 years ago(January 21, 2017 02:03 PM)
I just remember the look in his eyes when he's told he will take over the next platoon.
Definition of despair, and desolation.
Isn't he passed over for R&R a time or two? (May be another movie- didn't watch the whole this time)
Any eventsomeone he loves is in HAWAII -
HAWAII = paradise
VIETNAM = hell
I'm not judging him. -
stevekaczynski — 9 years ago(January 27, 2017 04:40 AM)
I don't think O'Neil is fit to command other people, any more than the lieutenant was, and if another NVA attack comes in his first, last and only priority is going to be personal survival, troops under his command are going to look around for their sergeant and wonder where he has disappeared to within about 5 seconds of an attack.
"Chicken soup - with a beep straw." -
Woodyanders — 3 weeks ago(March 07, 2026 06:48 PM)
I thought O'Neill did the correct logical and pragmatic thing hiding underneath the corpse of a slain soldier. He would have been killed otherwise by the Vietcong if he hadn't done that.
You've seen Guy Standeven in something because the man was in everything.