Heartwarming / We Were Soldiers

• According to Joe Galloway:
  Then there were those on the other side, such as Gen. An who did his best to wipe us out in the Ia Drang and came damned close to it. Years later, in 1993, he and some of his officers went back to our old battlefield with us, walked that blood-stained ground and shed tears with us for all who died there, American and Vietnamese.
• Colonel Moore is faced with doubts and unsure of victory, remarking "Christ! This is just like Little Big Horn!" Sergeant Major Plumley sets him straight:
  "Custer was a pussy. You ain't."
• After taking the diary of a slain NVA soldier, Moore goes through the trouble of making sure the diary makes it back to the soldier's girlfriend.
  • Another, though very macabre, is that after a battle, the Americans are respectful enough to gather up the dead NVA soldiers so that their comrades can collect them.
• In the beginning, there's a scene where Julie gathers the officer's wives for meeting, where this exchange occurs:
  Catherine: The laundromat in town's okay, but they won't let you wash your colored things in their machines.
  Barbara: At a public laundromat?
  Catherine: Didn't make any sense to me either, but I'm telling you — they have a big sign right in the window, says "Whites Only". [an awkward silence]) What?
  Alma: (who is African-American) Honey, they mean white people only.
  Catherine: That's awful. Your husband is wearing the uniform of a country that allows a place to... to say that his laundry's not good enough, when he could die for... I'm sorry, I just —
  Alma: That's all right, honey. I know what my husband's fighting for, and that's why I can smile. My husband will never ask for respect, and he'll give respect to no man who hasn't earned it. The rest of his family's the same way. And anybody who doesn't respect that can keep his goddamn washing machine, 'cause my baby's clothes are gonna be clean anyway!
  (they all burst into laughter)
  Julie: Well, I guess that takes care of item number two!
• The fact that the movie treats the Vietnamese as Worthy Opponents and Anti Villains Fighting for a Homeland and goes out of its way to humanize both side of the conflict rather than as caricatures or mere Mooks.