I think that this quote has a very strong meaning overall. I also do think that this quote is a very true statement about not only Chris's thoughts, but other soldier's thoughts, and the war as a whole. I think that this quote was represented very well in the movie. The movie showed a lot of internal conflict inside the Platoon not only between soldiers and commanders but more so commanders with other commanders. The movie also really showed what can happen as a whole if there is conflict.
If we fight against ourselves more than we fight against the enemy we have a serious problem. This hurts the overall functionality of the group and it lowers the moral. It also opens a door for the enemy. It allowed them to get the upper hand. They were able to attack us and keep attacking us, and some of their battle strategies worked. They didn't work because they were thought out so well, they worked because a lot of our soldiers fought for themselves and not for the group.
At the end of the quote when he says "There are times since when I've felt like a child, born of these two fathers," I think that he means that the two commanders were like fathers as in they were the men who shaped who was and the man he became in battle. He is saying that those two men had a big affect on him in Vietnam. He felt like a child while he was there because both men had different perspectives on what she be done in war, and the only thing he could do was to listen and adapt to both styles.
I think this movie represent very well in detail what can happen if just one piece of the puzzle is messed up. The rest of the platoon seemed to enjoy one another's company and they got along well. One powerful man who wanted everything to be his way screwed everything up, and it ended up killing many hard-working men. I think that people like that should be evaluated and taken out of the army because as you can see how much it can affect the group overall. It can bring the group down, it can make them turn on one another, and it gives the enemy and advantage.
This movie also demonstrates in great detail how much war and the stressful situations can change a man and his thinking. Before most men are shipped overseas to go fight they have good critical decision making skills and they try to make the best possible decisions they can. Later on after being stationed there so long people start making decisions to save themselves, and some even start making radical decisions. It was shown very clearly in the movie how much war can change a man. When Barnes shot Elias in cold blood and left him there to die it was an example of making decisions you think are necessary to survive, and it shows how much the war can change you. In the end when Chris came shot Barnes who was trying to crawl away, that really showed how much war can change a man. I think that it was hard to shoot him like that, but I am glad he did. I think he made the right decision and he saved himself and many others from dying by getting rid of him. I think by getting rid Barnes the platoon would run a lot more smoothly and I think the men would have a lot better chance of surviving and winning the war.
