PBS- Vietnam by Ken Burns

[oldbee]

10 hrs of Vietnam War by Ken Burns. He did a seminal Civil War documentary years ago. This should be just as good. Starts at 2000hrs on this Sunday.

 

[BeeKool]

His work on the Civil War is perhaps the finest documentary ever made.
He was younger and less given to political pressures then.
I will record his Vietnam series, but am a bit skeptical on whether it's like his Civil War documentary which was a nuetral and accurate documentary or like modern so-called documentaries which are just biased propaganda.

 

[Dennis H]

My era. Did not serve. Lottery. We treated our Vets like **** on their return and at least 80 THOUSAND Vietnamese were slaughtered when we pulled out after losing 58,000 guys. WTF. Sound familiar? Only the spin of the wheel kept me from wading in rice paddys with an M16 held over my head. How are we supposed to feel about this now?

 

[monaco66coupe]

My era as well, Volunteered at 17 years old, and served with some of the best
Military people! WW2 veterans, Korean war veterans, Draftees, and Volunteers. No offense to Ken Burns, but unless you did that, knew those people, ate with those people, and worked with those people, your story will be just that. A story.

 

[Dennis H]

10 minutes in, don't know if I will continue to watch. I am ignorant of the French-Rule history. The narrator sounds a lot like Henry Fonda! Sorry if you heard this before, but my late co worker Jerry Ausano flew rescue choppers there. Never knew. Never spoke of it. A good man. Still don't know why this is so emotional for me.

 

[snakeyes]

lived it

 

[mopar 3 B]

So far has been pretty good. Made it threw the Ike and JFK years. The French withdraw.

 

[steve from staten island]

I served with the NYS Army National Guard and was stationed in FT Knox for basic in early 73. All the DI's were V.N. vets who reenlisted . When i returned to my unit there were many V.N vets who joined the Guard. They treated me great, like a younger brother, they were great guys then and there great guys now.
Ken Burns does gives us great documentaries. He does top shelf work. I find no bias in any of his work, if you cant deal with it, thats on you.

 

[Bruzilla]

I just wish a show would put the Vietnam War into some perspective, starting with the Soviets starting a civil war in Greece in 1946 as a means of taking control of the country. That went on until the Soviets realized we weren't going to let them have Greece and they started messing with Germany by starting the blockade of Berlin in 1948. When that failed, the Soviets realized we weren't going to let them take control of anyplace in Europe which forced them to change their strategy.

Enter the invasion of South Korea in 1950. The Soviets didn't take over South Korea, but they didn't lose their satellite state in North Korea, which was a step up from their previous efforts. Enter Vietnam in 1955.

There is much made of US losses from 1955 to 1975. 58,000+ dead, 153,000+ wounded, 1,600+ MIA, but not so much is made of the Soviet losses. The Soviets "won" in Vietnam, but it was a Pyrrhic victory. The Soviets spent billions in hard currency to support the North Vietnamese, but aside from bragging rights they got nothing for it but a dirt poor country with few natural resources and lots and lots of needs. While little has been let out of what impact this had on Soviet thinking, we can judge the effect based on what the Soviets did next, which was the same thing they did when they realized Europe was a loser for them... they shifted their thinking.

Enter Nicaragua and Central America. The impact of the Vietnam War on the Soviets was it's not worth spending billions to get nothing, so they decided to make more of a move in America's back yard so they could at least say they were intimidating us the way we were intimidating them in their backyard. We countered them there, and between the costs of Vietnam and Central America, the Soviets became so broke they had to make a move on the Middle East to get their oil but needed Afghanistan as a way point, and we all know how that ended up.

So, with all that in mind, one must ask what would have happened if we hadn't fought in Vietnam? First, the Soviets would have taken control of Vietnam quickly, followed by Laos, Cambodia, and later all of Korea. What would have been their next logical target after easy wins throughout South East Asia? Japan and/or Australia, and invasions there would have certainly led to WWIII, which means no one reading these words would likely be alive today.

So I wish people would focus as much on what likely would have happened if we hadn't sacrificed then as they do on what happened.

 

[Ranger16]

I will record his Vietnam series, but am a bit skeptical on whether it's like his Civil War documentary which was a nuetral and accurate documentary or like modern so-called documentaries which are just biased propaganda.

I watched an hour long preview and interview with Burns. He said it was not meant to answer any questions. Just to ask some. It would be neutral from both sides and whether you are pro or con, you will find something to confirm your beliefs.

So far I found it rather interesting. Learned a few things I didn't know, but what really got me was seeing the French war laid out like that was like looking into a crystal ball and seeing our future.

I am expecting future episodes to stir up memories and emotions better left alone, but can't help myself and will watch. Who needs sleep anyway.

 

[BeeKool]

I watched an hour long preview and interview with Burns. He said it was not meant to answer any questions. Just to ask some. It would be neutral from both sides and whether you are pro or con, you will find something to confirm your beliefs.

So far I found it rather interesting. Learned a few things I didn't know, but what really got me was seeing the French war laid out like that was like looking into a crystal ball and seeing our future.

I am expecting future episodes to stir up memories and emotions better left alone, but can't help myself and will watch. Who needs sleep anyway.

Let's see how it plays out when it gets to the Nixon era of the war. And things back in the US duringvthise years. My guess is that his inner liberal will come to light.

 

[BeeKool]

I served with the NYS Army National Guard and was stationed in FT Knox for basic in early 73. All the DI's were V.N. vets who reenlisted . When i returned to my unit there were many V.N vets who joined the Guard. They treated me great, like a younger brother, they were great guys then and there great guys now.
Ken Burns does gives us great documentaries. He does top shelf work. I find no bias in any of his work, if you cant deal with it, thats on you.

You're correct on Ken Burns being top notch. Especially compared to vile fridges such as Michael Moore.
My concern is this: Burns Civil War documentary was made back in the 80s back when the film industry was for knowledge and entertainment, not like the propaganda sewer that has become.
The Civil War Documentary was unbiased and if these snowflakes pos today watched it they would accuse him of being a white supremacist.
If that film (Civil War) was made today, tgeres no way in hell, that it would be anywhere near the film that it is.

 

[snakeyes]

a lot of people are ignorant on Viet Nam most do not realize that we were not the only ones there I had met many soldiers from from other country's and had made good friends , http://militaryhistorynow.com/2013/...-world-powers-that-fought-in-south-east-asia/

 

[OK charger]

Whether or not Vietnam was the right thing or wrong thing this is for sure...We owe a lot of apologies to our soldiers from that war.

 

[BeeKool]

Whether or not Vietnam was the right thing or wrong thing this is for sure...We owe a lot of apologies to our soldiers from that war.

Very true.
3 of my closest friends are 'Namers.

One was a tunnel rat & at 5'4" is the toughest sob I've ever known.

One was badly wounded twice, (once bad enough to have his last rights read to him as he lay in a hot LZ awaiting med-evac with his guts blown out)
When he boarded the ship in California to leave for Nam a bunch of asshole Berkeley kids spit on him, when he returned from Nam in a wheelchair, a bunch of asshole Berkeley kids spit on him. (Damn I hate Liberals!)

The third my uncle was in Navy

None of them give a damn about the politics of it. They were serving their country just as their fathers had done in WW2.

They do all HATE John Kerry though

 

[PP1RT]

Tip of the hat for all Vietnam vets!!

 

[YY1]

I always knew there was a lot more involved than was generally believed by the masses, but not exactly what.

Interesting that Ho-chi-min asked the US for help first, and that the OSS was involved in his camp at least once, early on.

The first question that came to my mind is why they did not settle on a two state solution, so soon after Korea had been successfully resolved that way.

It just seem like common sense bad business to literally divide a country in two, then ask for one election to reunify.

 

[Gone]

I NEVER fail to thanks a Vietnam Veteran when I see them.

 

[oldbee]

I always knew there was a lot more involved than was generally believed by the masses, but not exactly what.

Interesting that Ho-chi-min asked the US for help first, and that the OSS was involved in his camp at least once, early on.

The first question that came to my mind is why they did not settle on a two state solution, so soon after Korea had been successfully resolved that way.

It just seem like common sense bad business to literally divide a country in two, then ask for one election to reunify.

Well Korea is still not "successfuly resolved" after 50+ yrs. You've got families/generations on both sides of the dividing line.

 

[FJ6AAR]

A good friend of mine was the last American off of Fire Base Ripcord. See Screaming Eagles under siege. He is in several books. Someone needs to record his story . He lost and eye later as a SOG Captain.