Raising Morale (and Hell)

In "The Things They Carried," a book by Tim O'Brien, a soldier from the Vietnam War, he describes the drudgery of daily war life: "I remember the monotony. Digging foxholes. Slapping mosquitoes. The sun and heat and endless paddies. Even deep in the bush, where you could die any number of ways, the war was nakedly and aggressively boring." O'Brien was not the only one with this opinion. During the Vietnam War, many soldiers were not only bored, but also disillusioned with the American government's policy. This led to low levels of army morale. In order to boost the soldiers' spirits, the United States army hired a DJ named Adrian Cronauer to cheer soldiers up using his radio broadcast. The movie I've chosen to focus on this week, "Good Morning, Vietnam" is loosely based off of his experiences.

"Good Morning Vietnam," a comedy, starring Robin Williams as DJ Cronauer, was released in 1987. It follows DJ Cronauer as he works to restore enthusiasm among the American soldiers stationed in Saigon, Vietnam. His daily program always begins with him saying "Gooooooooood morning, Vietnam!" followed by his routine of unpredictable humor, military updates, and rock and roll music (all of which irritate his superiors). Despite the fact that he is not ranked very highly in the military, Cronauer makes his own orders and is not afraid to disrespect his superiors if he thinks he is making the right call. Often, he chooses to release information to soldiers that the military wants to keep classified because he believes that they have a right to know what is happening in the country.

Cronauer becomes popular among the American soldiers who love his style and genuine interest in their lives. They are so passionate about his broadcasts that after he is suspended (for releasing classified information) they send in letters and phone calls demanding that he is returned. While this is happening, Cronauer himself has become disillusioned with the army. Even though he is told that he can return to his job, he refuses. Until, one day, he comes across a group of soldiers departing for battle and they ask him for an impromptu broadcast. He then realizes the impact of his work and decides to return.

One of my favorite parts of the movie is when Cronauer decides to teach English to some Vietnamese locals. He takes advantage of this opportunity to teach them slang phrases and American curse words.  Through this experience, he makes friends with the people of the country. I think this is an important decision on the screenwriter's part because it illustrates the idea that, at the end of the day, we are all human. The war was a horrifying experience for both sides and many argue that the war didn't change anything. All it did was kill innocent people. It also encapsulates the public sentiments at the time that we should not have been involved in the first place.

I think this film also demonstrates the power of humor and how it can make people feel better. The soldiers loved Cronauer because he would tell them what was really going on and try to make light of their circumstances. He was there for them as they took on a foreign country with an enemy they could not understand.

Overall, I think this movie has a powerful messages about war and humanity. It also manages to incorporate good humor, history, and music (including The Beach Boys and Louis Armstrong)! If you're interested in learning more, check out the trailer below:

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Video - YouTube user 05HK09