2. Kompanie, 1. Zug, Vietnam 1966

The Anderson Platoon was a stunning doc in its day presenting us with the war in Viet Nam from a slogging platoon's point of view. Led by a West Point Black American grad Lieut. Robert Anderson it was an unrelenting portrait of the quagmire in South East Asia that would only get worse in the years ahead. This was one of the first indications all was not well and it is vividly brought out by director Pierre Scoendorrfer who must have felt he was experiencing deja vu after his Indochina tour with the French.

Narration is sparse and while that may be a drawback to some Schoendorffer lets his camera do the talking with more than its share of incredible scenes and images depicting the violence, chaos, confusion and heartbreak of a bunch of American GIs following orders and trying to get home in one piece. Whether covering a chilling firefight, down time in the field or an Rand R of a GI with a prostitute in Saigon, Schoendorrfer paints his visual picture with an unavoidable lugubriousness that this conflict was not about to get any easier.

This is not Capra's Why We Fight, but a cold unflinching look at the war from the boots on the ground where the courage, sacrifice and humanity of the platoon comes across loud and clear in their faces and the predicament that surrounds them soberly and powerfully captured by Schoendorrfer.