Interesting movie, but seemed a bit too lighthearted
...considering that the Battle of Dien Bien Phu did not turn out well at all for the French. The movie seemed to gloss over that aspect.
True enough.
However, my guess is that you never served in a combat unit nor have you read much military history.
The French had a cavalier attitude because they believed in their mission to rid French Indo-China of communism so they could go back to their lucrative trade even if was at the expense of the average Vietnamese worker.
They also had a bring-it-on attitude because they got their ass handed to them by the Germans in the last war and saw their fight against the Communists as a way to redeem themselves even if they all die in the process.
Finally, when you are in a fighting unit with your back up against the wall your mind does it's best to turn tragedy to triumph.
It's only a movie, after all, but all movies should inspire the viewer to read books about the REAL events and people.
Merry Christmas to you!