Someone hates the Government...

“The Oriental doesn’t put the same price on life as the Westerner” said General William Childs Westmoreland in Peter Davis’ 1973 documentary Hearts and Minds. The vehemently anti-war documentary is riddled with similarly painfully ironic quotes that represent the psychological domination of the American over their in soldiers in Vietnam. Davis juxtaposes contrasting images of American brutality with excerpts from interviews, classic patriotic films and footage of the Vietnam War to convey the hypocrisy of the American government. The documentary portrays the government and its soldiers of having a sweeping, ignorant perception on the misunderstood culture of Vietnam. The contrast of the weeping, broken families and General Westmoorland’s insensitive statement conveys the degree to which people of power ignore the collateral effects of war. His statement reflects the westerner’s elitist and antiquated perceptions of non-westerners. Even his rhetoric “oriental,” which has become politically incorrect reflects his and his government’s lack of concern and understanding of the conflict.
Much like Stanley Kubrick’s tactic of juxtaposing humor and brutality to instill a sense of discomfort in his audience, Hearts and Minds juxtaposes the truth of war with Ameican ignorance to instill a similar feeling. The most disturbing part of the film was the conclusion where the documentary portrays a patriotic parade in a small American town being disturbed by anti-war protesters. The “patriots” curse the protesters for being unpatriotic and begin fighting one another, a symbol of America at war with its ideological self. This scene is made painfully ironic by the images of children marching through the streets with fake guns, chanting militaristic hymns. In portraying lines of brainwashed children, the filmmakers intentionally draw a parallel to the Hilter Youth of Nazi Germany who grew up knowing nothing but the morals of the Third Reich. The filmmakers argue that the American government breeds support for their agenda by shaping their citizens into images of what they want them to be.

Tamir Kalifa