What is the historical accuracy of the movie Platoon?

Answer 1

The film is loosely based on the director, Oliver Stone's, experience while serving with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam. The actor, Charley Sheen portrays Oliver Stone. The movie (film) was relatively accurate.

Answer 2

1. Since the film was directed by a veteran GI from Vietnam, the 25th ID specifically...Oliver Stone (portrayed by actor Charlie Sheen)...that automatically made it historically accurate. It was Stone's biography when he was in the Nam.

2. The 25th ID was there.

3. The weapons & uniforms were accurate.

4. The ambush scene when Charlie Sheen is sleeping/sitting in the rain with a poncho over him and begins clacking the claymore mine (clicking the detonator switch) during a night ambush...and have contact with the NVA...that was 100% accurate. GIs used to sleep that way, all piled up like that & that close together in the rain & bush...extremely uncomfortable...wet, mosquitos, leeches, snakes, smelly (stinking), COLD (and HUNGRY), miserable...and then somebody tries to kill ya! (The gunfire and explosions)...really made a man's day!

5. When actor Charlie Sheen (portraying director Oliver Stone) faints from the extreme high humidity & heat. While carrying a HEAVY load over terrible jungle trails (not like the neatly cleaned hiking trails in California) in extreme HEAT, these events actually happened.

Just a very very small sampling of the realism in the film.