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Great script by Geoffrey C. Ward. There were post-broadcast interviews with Burns and Novick on my local PBS channel every night. They went all out on promoting this film. Burns said that the Beatles gave permission to use their music and charged the same licensing fee as all the other companies for their songs to be included in this documentary because they thought this was an important subject. For those unaware, the Beatles (not Yoko with JL's solo stuff) only give their permission on rare occasions and when they do, they charge an enormous fee.
Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble also did a fine job playing Vietnamese Folk Music for the film.
Great series! Really well done. The only thing I would add is more vets talking about their experience. I know that would be tough to add in for time restraints. Another series focusing on them would be super interesting.
Good so far...but, figured I would binge watch it over a week or 2 on Comcast-on-demand. In the middle of episode 4 last night, turned off the TV to take a call, turned it back on to resume and Comcast now turned it to PAY PER VIEW. WTF? Right in the middle of an episode???? Now I have to catch it in reruns.
I was a bit apprehensive about Ken Burns being impartial but it seems it's fair enough in telling a balanced view, I understand the co-creator Lynn Novick helped in that regards. It probably went to far in portraying Ho Chi Minh as this benevolent leader given the hundreds of thousands that perished as a result of his land reforms in the 50s (which I don't think were even mentioned). Also interesting to see in detail how both JFK and Johnson were pulled into this war, it did a good job of explaining that. I have no doubt now that if JFK lived nothing would have changed, given his remark in episode 2 that he wasn't leaving Vietnam for political reasons.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nanny Goat
I don't think JFK was going to "pull out of Vietnam." There's footage in the Burn's documentary of him saying he "can't" because of not being able to get reelected again. Had to be "hard on communism."
that's what I am getting at... after watching this history I have NO DOUBT JFK's death had no impact on Vietnam. Johnson had the same advisors, the same strategy, the same political fear of withdrawel from Vietnam...If JFK lived the full course of the Vietnam War would still have occured. It almost seems the course of the war was already set in stone as soon as 1961.
I missed the documentary when it aired the first time. Heard PBS was showing it again so looked this afternoon and episode 1 was about 10 minutes in. Couldn't help but watch it. It does seem well done, but like any documentary they can't possibly cover everything. There's a PBS channel on Roku that has it, but you need to be a passport member to watch the episodes.
Was born in '65 so was a small child during the war. What I recall was not being allowed to watch the nightly news and my oldest brother having a couple POW/MIA bumper stickers on the inside of his bedroom door. He graduated high school in '73 so fortunate for him missed out on being drafted.
Good so far...but, figured I would binge watch it over a week or 2 on Comcast-on-demand. In the middle of episode 4 last night, turned off the TV to take a call, turned it back on to resume and Comcast now turned it to PAY PER VIEW. WTF? Right in the middle of an episode???? Now I have to catch it in reruns.
I was a bit apprehensive about Ken Burns being impartial but it seems it's fair enough in telling a balanced view, I understand the co-creator Lynn Novick helped in that regards. It probably went to far in portraying Ho Chi Minh as this benevolent leader given the hundreds of thousands that perished as a result of his land reforms in the 50s (which I don't think were even mentioned). Also interesting to see in detail how both JFK and Johnson were pulled into this war, it did a good job of explaining that. I have no doubt now that if JFK lived nothing would have changed, given his remark in episode 2 that he wasn't leaving Vietnam for political reasons.
that's what I am getting at... after watching this history I have NO DOUBT JFK's death had no impact on Vietnam. Johnson had the same advisors, the same strategy, the same political fear of withdrawel from Vietnam...If JFK lived the full course of the Vietnam War would still have occured. It almost seems the course of the war was already set in stone as soon as 1961.
The documentary did mention Ho Chi Minh's land reforms and I didn't get the impression that he was portrayed as benevolent. Just a little more cautious than headstrong Len Duan. Len Duan was younger.
If Nixon didn't resign, he would have kept his promise to South Vietnam and kept on bombing the North. There was no way the North could have worn with repeated American bombings. Also the lack of direction on the part of the US is one major reason the war was lost. They look those little hills and gave them up. They killed many enemies but went nowhere. They should have done what they did in Japan -- obliterated the North and took over.
Good so far...but, figured I would binge watch it over a week or 2 on Comcast-on-demand. In the middle of episode 4 last night, turned off the TV to take a call, turned it back on to resume and Comcast now turned it to PAY PER VIEW. WTF? Right in the middle of an episode???? Now I have to catch it in reruns.
I was a bit apprehensive about Ken Burns being impartial but it seems it's fair enough in telling a balanced view, I understand the co-creator Lynn Novick helped in that regards. It probably went to far in portraying Ho Chi Minh as this benevolent leader given the hundreds of thousands that perished as a result of his land reforms in the 50s (which I don't think were even mentioned). Also interesting to see in detail how both JFK and Johnson were pulled into this war, it did a good job of explaining that. I have no doubt now that if JFK lived nothing would have changed, given his remark in episode 2 that he wasn't leaving Vietnam for political reasons.
that's what I am getting at... after watching this history I have NO DOUBT JFK's death had no impact on Vietnam. Johnson had the same advisors, the same strategy, the same political fear of withdrawel from Vietnam...If JFK lived the full course of the Vietnam War would still have occured. It almost seems the course of the war was already set in stone as soon as 1961.
I think Kennedy would have been much more likely to acknowledge that his war was not going as anticipated, and would have tried to change its course. Johnson was so strongly pegged into the coldwar/stamp out communism everywhere no matter the cost mantra that he couldn't see it wasn't going to work, as many had already told them. It's clear in the documentary that others had come to the same conclusion long before. Kennedy may not have come out of it with the same legend, but he was more likely to take a different direction than Johnson.
I just sat and watched this whole thing, since all the little stuff I remembered too. The music is so evocative and I can remember just how I felt then like it was yesterday. I don't think this film could have been made even twenty years ago. The interesting part is that it wasn't about taking sides, just the history of what happened, largely left for each to find its place.
Viet Nam for Americans is not just a history, its an incomplete story for anyone old enough to remember. Its a charged reminder of yesterday. This documentary more than told the story, it brought us back with a little distance so maybe it can help the wound which is Viet Nam's war heal a little.
What I found sad besides the actual war and the waste of so many lives is how every president during Vietnam based his decisions regarding the war on how it was going to effect him politically. Their big concern is always that reelection. Maybe we should change how long presidents serve to one 8-10 year term to discourage them from making decisions on how it might effect their reelection. The only problem with that is what if we get someone horrible and we're stuck with him/her for 8-10 years and vice versa.
The documentary was very sobering for me. I used to be one of those naïve people that thought the government knew what they were doing and they had our best interests at heart. Not anymore - my eyes are finally open and have been since 9/11.
If Nixon didn't resign, he would have kept his promise to South Vietnam and kept on bombing the North. There was no way the North could have worn with repeated American bombings. Also the lack of direction on the part of the US is one major reason the war was lost. They look those little hills and gave them up. They killed many enemies but went nowhere. They should have done what they did in Japan -- obliterated the North and took over.
I saw that. Win the hill w/ all of our Vets' bloodshed, then give it up. Wow.
That's what Vets (on other thread) were saying. LBJ had so many restraints on what they could and couldn't do. From what they say, it was pretty ridiculous, to fight a war, but tie the hands of people trying to win it. And, the political way of seeing things was different from the Military way, which would have probably won it.
You learn a lot listening to those who fought it and have so much understanding of the history behind it.
i saved the whole pbs series & just started watching last night. i was a baby in the 70s so i really didn't know a whole lot about the war. so far i've only watched episode 1 & woah - what a cluster that was!! everyone had their hands in that cookie jar!
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