Foil

Character Role Analysis

Dongan/Simpson

The guys don't know how good they have it with Simpson until he leaves for home.

Isn't that always how it goes?

Simpson was honest with Perry and the others. They knew he was looking out for them, because he complained about how Stewart was putting them in harm's way all the time. He even argued with Stewart about over-volunteering his men, even though Stewart was his superior and threatened Simpson to get him out of his hair.

Simpson's also black. He gets replaced by Dongan, who's older, white, and racist. The new guy starts ordering black soldiers to the less safe parts of their formation, and gets a beer with a couple white soldiers, but not the Italian, the possibly gay guy, or any of the black guys. Not the nicest of the bunch.

Making friends clearly isn't Dongan's top priority. He rants to the guys about how the Korean War was harder, making out like they have it easy. Probably not the best strategy to tell a bunch of guys whose friends have died that they've got nothing to complain about.

But Dongan doesn't care. He's clearly out to show that he's not on their level—which makes him the very opposite of Simpson.