By Guy Wheatley
The Texarkana Gazette

Lt. Colonel Harold G. Moore (Mel Gibson) is a Soldier from the old school. For him the equation is simple. Kill the enemy and win the war for God and Country. He assumes that this war will be fought as previous wars were. He also assumes that he will receive the same support from his country, and through the military chain of command that commanders did in World War II. But this is a new war, with new objectives, and new rules. A different morality will guide this war. This painful transition is the subject of "We Were Soldiers."
The battle at Ia Drang on 14 November, 1965 changed warfare and defined America's involvement in Southeast Asia. The importance of this event is exceeded only by its horror. Director Randall Wallace (The Man in the Iron Mask) needs to add no drama. His challenge is to accurately depict the human element of an historical event without overplaying critical events and decisions. It's a balancing act that relies in part on the sophistication of the audience.
The first ominous suggestion of the ambivalence that will be the political norm for this war, is President Johnson's failure to declare a state of emergency. Without a state of emergence declaration, troops will not be committed until the outcome of the war. About the time troops gain the experience to be truly effective, they will be rotated home. The US will be constantly training troops under fire. Moore notes this, but like a true soldier he carries on with the orders in hand.
Ia Drang is the test bed for air-mobile warfare. It is the proving ground that turns Vietnam into the "helicopter war."  It is also the proving ground for less noble concepts that will mark the rest of America's involvement in the conflict. Randall and Gibson successfully contrast the honor of service displayed by Moore and his command with the politically motivated career maneuvering by others. They don't overtly criticize any historical figure, but history speaks for itself. We soon realize that the strategists intend to declare this battle a victory, without regard to the facts.
We see that Moore has doubts about the battle at Ia Drang from the outset. Intelligence on the enemy is weak, the window of opportunity is doubtful, and the objective as military target is limited. Tactically, the action isn't supportable. Yet, for reasons Moore can't understand, the decision is made to proceed.  Again, Moore follows orders. We don't see Moore's epiphany, if indeed he has one. We do see him eventually refuse to abandon his men when ordered to do so.
Moore promises his men that he will be the first man on the battlefield, and the last man off. His fulfillment of this promise is one of the central elements of the film. Gibson's portrayal of Moore's dedication to his men and mission is reminiscent of John Wayne's Colonel Mike Kirby in "The Green Berets." Unlike "The Green Berets," however  "We Were Soldiers" realizes that this war, Military strategy, and American sentiment, will be very different from World War II. "The Green Berets" and "We Were Soldiers," are both films intended to honor the service men who served in Vietnam. "The Green Berets," however comes across to post-Vietnam viewers as preachy propaganda. The older movie has no clue about the real soul searching issues of Vietnam. While Randall produced a movie that unabashedly praises our uniformed troops, it is done in a more realistic setting. This acknowledgement of the problems lends more credibility to the praise.
Moore's struggles with the Anger, confusion, and frustration of the orders that don't make since are mirrored back home. Those left behind begin to see the effects of a war their country is neither prepared for, nor fully committed to. Too many Americans and too many films forget, or never realize, that military families are also effected by the conflict. The casualties started coming in before there was an effective way to handle the next of kin. Director Randall and actress Madeleine Stowe, as Morre's wife, bring this part of the drama to life in powerful terms.
Those who have experienced life on base, as military dependents will recognize the burden and responsibilities Mrs. Moore assumed. The armed forces often ask much from their troops, but they also often ask much from their families. It should not be surprising that brave and honorable men have brave and honorable families. "We Were Soldiers" gives the audience a rare look at this source of strength and courage.
The film also acknowledges that those fighting on the other side were human and had families. Some of them were also courageous. This is not the main topic of the story however, and the minimum amount of film necessary is used for this purpose.
This is a must see film about a pivotal point in the most important event in the second half of the 20th century. A little study about Ia Drang will help viewers more fully enjoy the story. A visit to the web site www.lzxray.com before going to the theater will greatly enhance the experience.

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