Plot: Something in his past keeps career Army man John Paul Vann from advancing past colonel. He views being sent to Vietnam as part of the US military advisory force a stepping stone to promotion. However, he disagrees vocally (and on the record) with the way the war is being run and is forced to leave the military. Returning to Vietnam as a civilian working with the Army, he comes to despise some South Vietnamese officers while he takes charge of some of the U.S. forces and continues his liaisons with Vietnamese women.
Alternative Plot: John Paul Vann (Bill Paxton) is sent to Vietnam in 1962 as a military adviser and quickly learns that several South Vietnamese battalions are forging low casualty numbers and successful battle records. Vann, along with journalist Steven Burnett (Donal Logue), tries to take the matter public and in the process destroys his career and reputation. His private life also takes a hit when his wife (Amy Madigan) learns of his numerous affairs, including one with a Vietnamese teacher (Vivian Wu).
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