Blog Post 13 - Abstract

Here is my abstract. I have separated and explained each element of my thesis so that it becomes more clear and important to the reader. This is not required, just another way/format to tackle the abstract section.


Historical misrepresentation in cinema: A Case Study of “The Green Berets.”

Author: Chad McGartlin

Since its inception, cinema has attempted to portray historical events for varying reasons and with varying outcomes. At the height of the Vietnam War, one such film, “The Green Berets” was scripted by the Pentagon (the central nervous system of the United States CIA and military) and propagated by a very famous pro-war conservative actor; John Wayne. Furthermore, released in 1968, the movie was intended to combat a growing opposition to the Vietnam War and display U.S. policy in that country as being valuable and morally correct. The aim of this investigation was to cross-reference actual testimony of soldiers, citizens and government policy makers to the portrayal of these individuals and their citations within the movie. The outcome was shocking. By viewing the movie thoroughly and looking for key points in which citizens and soldier make specific claims, and then researching the diaries of people who participated in the event, this study argues four main points: 1) That although the movie portrays U.S. soldiers as in support of the war, many, in fact were not; 2) That although the movie portrays the South Vietnamese public as being for U.S. help and occupation of their country in the fight against communism, many did not care or were outwardly against U.S. occupation; 3) that the events that occurred at Mai-Lai, portrayed in the movie as being perpetrated by North Vietnamese in conjunction with the NLF, were actually based on actual soldier testimony, a massacre of innocent South Vietnamese civilians by U.S. troops; 4) That the characterization of the media as being leftist, anti-war and largely uninformed is somewhat accurate in that they were mainly a mouthing a stance that the war was a poor decision and the U.S. should not be involved, however, their reporting of information, and participation in the war were based on accurate evidence and first-hand experience. By using compilations of letters home from soldiers, their diaries, and media clips, this project and its accurate discrediting of the film will hopefully raise awarenesss of the issue of cinema in film in the larger context.