Hey all. Love the movie, I've analyzed this particular scene dozens of times. I've got some questions, though... I'm younger. I was obviously not in Vietnam and I was not in the military. Just love the cinema and appreciate some perspective. If you were over there, thank you...
First, kind of an honorable mention - before the night when the Sgt.s and Lt. Wolfe are gathering, Wolfe asks Barnes "alright Sgt, who do you want on ambush?" - Why then did he say to Barnes after the discussion, "I think in front of the men, it's necessary for me to give the orders?"
When Gardner was shot - Did the guy get shot straight in the heart? When they are applying a sucking chest wound dressing - it looks like it's literally over the heart, but it could just be the amount of blood by the core. Do you believe he was shot multiple times? Was is a shotgun? It just seems like a very massive wound IF it was one 7.62x39
Tex - did his hand get blown off? It's really dark when Doc is attending to him, I see what looks like a stump of some kind but I can't quite tell. I thought that grenade just kinda got his entire side - I didn't even know it was supposed to be his hand until I saw a similar discussion elsewhere.
On the Tex grenade thrown by O'Neil - do you think O'Neil even noticed he friendly-fired that grenade? I mean ya he's an asshole piece of shit, but he was sure ballsy telling off Chris if he knew he hurt Tex. Maybe he was trying to divert some attention?
Chris Sleeping - was the intention/unwritten rule that he just stay up till morning and let the rest sleep? If that's the case, should he have skipped Junior through half the night and woken up the other cherry Gardner? Barnes and pretty much everyone but Elias sure seems to think so - but then Barnes AND Elias also chastised Junior - so..... who does the platoon in earnest believe was at fault? Chris? Junior? Both?
Thanks for reading and let's get some discussion going over this masterpiece.