I’m certainly not going to argue with the personal experience of veterans, but given that Coppola essentially adapted Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and stuck it in Vietnam, I think his comment was less about the historical veracity of the piece (which I don’t think has ever been claimed) and more about the psychological impact concerning the issue of the evil in men’s souls. Vietnam as a mindset, if you like. It may not resonate with the experience of some veterans (another veteran commenting here said he felt Platoon did that far better) but as a cinematic experience it is an astonishing piece of filmmaking. Thank you for reading and commenting. :)