[-Todd-]

So i've seen Platoon a countless number of times and today I just caught the end of it and noticed something I hadn't ever noticed before. Towards the end when the apc/tank is coming towards the site of the last battle in the movie it's flying what looks to be a nazi flag. Does anyone know what the deal is with that? Or is it just "one" of those things.

 

[LRRP-87]

I've wondered the same thing?

 

[red_metallic]

So i've seen Platoon a countless number of times and today I just caught the end of it and noticed something I hadn't ever noticed before. Towards the end when the apc/tank is coming towards the site of the last battle in the movie it's flying what looks to be a nazi flag. Does anyone know what the deal is with that? Or is it just "one" of those things.

I believe it is a Nazi panzer pennant & probably supposed to be an "in the field" addition.

Judging from some of the field paint schemes from Viet Nam, that pennant is pretty tame.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Eve_of_Destruction_Exterior.jpg

 

[Glock Holiday]

It's this flag on the armored vehicle after the battle.
This was the national war ensign battle flag of the Third Reich and used by the land forces of Nazi Germany.

 

[Zane Zackerly]

It's this flag on the armored vehicle after the battle.
This was the national war ensign battle flag of the Third Reich and used by the land forces of Nazi Germany.

Oliver Stone making a subtle propaganda statement that US servicemen are a bunch of Nazis, no doubt.

 

[joelad]

Nah, no propaganda, just a bunch of undisciplined army dogs. Like the guy toting the shotgun sporting a Mohawk.

 

[WhiteRabbit]

Oliver Stone is a Vietnam vet. Won the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. In Vietnam the troops in the field would do crap like that because they could. I've seen a pic of a black soldier with a swastika on his necklace.

 

[Glock Holiday]

Oliver Stone making a subtle propaganda statement that US servicemen are a bunch of Nazis, no doubt.

Wouldn't surprise me.
Don't care for his politics but I liked the flick along with his Salvador and Wall Street movies.

 

[Hootbro]

In the special edition DVD, Oliver Stone's commentary for this scene was that it was not uncommon for APC units to have the Nazi regalia. Reflected his experience of the war. No Scooby Doo mystery or hidden meaning.

On a different note:

 

[Guy Fawkes]

From religious facts.com

"In Buddhism, the swastika signifies auspiciousness and good fortune as well as the Buddha's footprints and the Buddha's heart.

Perhaps the soldier was Buddhist.

 

[RJSIXGUN]

I just froze the frame on that seen, I see what your talking about but I did not see a Swasitka or an Iron Cross on the flag.

 

[s70fan]

[quote="Glock Holiday":y6trmi1q]

It's this flag on the armored vehicle after the battle.
This was the national war ensign battle flag of the Third Reich and used by the land forces of Nazi Germany.

Oliver Stone making a subtle propaganda statement that US servicemen are a bunch of Nazis, no doubt.[/quote:y6trmi1q]

EXACTLY

Platoon is an antiwar hippy propaganda movie.

 

[Glock Holiday]

I just froze the frame on that seen, I see what your talking about but I did not see a Swasitka or an Iron Cross on the flag.

Chapter 31/32 1:59:27 is when it first appears.
Keep watching it's the Kraut battle flag for sure.

 

[sporter]

So i've seen Platoon a countless number of times and today I just caught the end of it and noticed something I hadn't ever noticed before. Towards the end when the apc/tank is coming towards the site of the last battle in the movie it's flying what looks to be a nazi flag. Does anyone know what the deal is with that? Or is it just "one" of those things.

It's war. In Vietnam there was a lot of down time to mess around for some units. So boys being boys would get to fuckin' around.....like putting Nazi flags on US tanks.

I have seen the movie and never took it to represent an insult to vietnam vets. However some make take it as an insult it is merely a reflection document of real situations.

It's kind of like flying a Jolly Roger or something to that effect. The Nazi flag represented that tank crews salt, meddle, attitude, and toughness.

Also keep in mind most vietnam vets grew up with stories of World War II from their fathers.

Same with the 30+ year old generation right now growing up hearing about Vietnam.

I find it quite amusing that the same people who throw a fit over a symbol on a flag will go out and buy a car from a company that fed and built the Nazi war machine 60 years ago.

 

[Grim Reaper]

While the Soviet Union was coming apart, and countries were declaring their independence, I remember seeing a newspic of a Russian sub with what appeared to be a Confederate battle flag flying. I'll try to find the pic, though I believe it to be on a drive that crashed on me. It was quite a surprising thing to see so far from home. Proof of its being more a sign of freedom than a sign of racism.

 

[Tapeo1]

I find it quite amusing that the same people who throw a fit over a symbol on a flag will go out and buy a car from a company that fed and built the Nazi war machine 60 years ago.

True. I find it amusing that a Jewish friend of mine drives a BMW X5 and her mother owns two VW Passats.

 

[Tuvia]

So boys being boys would get to f******* around.....like putting Nazi flags on US tanks.

I think the general attitude was "What are they going to do send me to Vietnam?"

 

[-Todd-]

While the Soviet Union was coming apart, and countries were declaring their independence, I remember seeing a newspic of a Russian sub with what appeared to be a Confederate battle flag flying. I'll try to find the pic, though I believe it to be on a drive that crashed on me. It was quite a surprising thing to see so far from home. Proof of its being more a sign of freedom than a sign of racism.

Reminds me of a movie cover I came across.

 

[SturmGrenadier]

It's this flag on the armored vehicle after the battle.
This was the national war ensign battle flag of the Third Reich and used by the land forces of Nazi Germany.

Not just land forces....all branches...as you pointed out it is the National War Flag circa 1935-1938

http://flagspot.net/images/d/de1935~w.gif

The 38-45 version made the black bars of the cross thicker and shrunk the disk/swastika just a little bit.

http://flagspot.net/images/d/de1938~w.gif

I remember a Navy poster flying the 1938-1945 version and saying...

EINSATZ
Der Deutschen Kriegsmarine

http://luy.com.ar/guerra/carteles/017.jpg

I believe I have a photo of a U-Boat surfaced also flying the flag.

 

[Templar]

While the Soviet Union was coming apart, and countries were declaring their independence, I remember seeing a newspic of a Russian sub with what appeared to be a Confederate battle flag flying. I'll try to find the pic, though I believe it to be on a drive that crashed on me. It was quite a surprising thing to see so far from home. Proof of its being more a sign of freedom than a sign of racism.

Dude, I was in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1999, one year after the Good Friday Peace Accords and the ceasefire was holding, barely, and the driver of my taxi (The West Belfast Taxi Co., money making enterprise for the IRA) had a Confederate Battle Flag flying inside his taxi. He and I had some good conversations, especially when he found out that I was from VA, had two great-great grandfathers who fought in the Confederacy, and had ancestors who died fighting the British during the Jacobite Rebellions. Didn't hurt that I talked guns too.

His answer to my question about him flying the battle flag....." 'ell, you lot never gave up, neither do we!' :twisted: