The Vietnam War - PBS

[Andrew Joiner]

I saw it last night. John Musgrave's experience is really moving. He served and fought proudly. Then had a transformation.

[Jason Roehl]

For those of you who served, thank you and welcome home.

For those of us who couldn't, didn't or wouldn't serve, I think it's incredibly important to study the causes and effects of war so that when war is upon us, necessary or not, we do not take lightly the sacrifices made. I'll have to look into this series.

[Nick Decker]

I was there, Army air traffic controller, during1969 and 1970, and have been watching the series. Probably the thing that sets this account apart from others most is the interviews with the North Vietnamese. On the other hand, I haven't heard them say much that I didn't already believe - that all they ever wanted was for foreign governments to get out of their country.

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks to this thread I saw my first episode last night on PBS............Rod.

[Nick Decker]

Rod,

If you can, try to watch the whole series from the beginning. I think it should be required viewing for any politician that might ever have anything to do with sending people to war.

[Edwin Santos]

Rod,

If you can, try to watch the whole series from the beginning. I think it should be required viewing for any politician that might ever have anything to do with sending people to war.

Agreed. I read a review of the series in the LA Times, and they said "Unless you are very well informed, it will teach you things you did not know, and correct things you thought you knew (about the war)".

I also saw a comment that this series spends 18 hours driving home the critical importance of the lessons of history, while simultaneously demonstrating how blatantly the politicians of time ignored them. Really fascinating albeit demanding.

I am finding the interviews with the North Vietnamese military interesting but I was relieved that Burns is not glamorizing them because the atrocities they committed are presented quite vividly.

[Nick Decker]

"...while simultaneously demonstrating how blatantly the politicians of time ignored them."

The various presidents involved may or may not have thought about the lessons of history, but I think every one of them, with the possible exception of LBJ, was concerned first and foremost with how pulling out would have affected his re-election chances. In the case of LBJ, I think he dropped out because he knew he couldn't win another term.

While I was over there, I got to know a few of the South Vietnamese very well. They loved Ho Chi Minh as the father of their country, much like George Washington is viewed here. They didn't care one bit about communism or capitalism, only that Ho represented independence.

[Rod Sheridan]

Rod,

If you can, try to watch the whole series from the beginning. I think it should be required viewing for any politician that might ever have anything to do with sending people to war.

I will Nick, thanks...............Regards, Rod.

[Mel Fulks]

Nick, there was a newsman who said that Johnson hinted in an interview ,maybe a private dinner, that he did not intend to run again. He tried to get him to elaborate but with no success. I might have details wrong ,guy might have laid out a scenario of after all that he had gotten thru congress ,etc he might quit. Might have to google this myself

[Nick Decker]

I really don't know much about LBJ's reasons for not running, just speculation on my part.

One thing I did learn was about Nixon's meddling in the peace talks during the campaign, before he was elected. Sounds kind of typical for Tricky Dick, I guess.

[Bruce Page]

Folks, this has been an interesting and educational thread. Many of us were deeply affected by the Vietnam war.
Please leave politics and political viewpoints out of the discussion.

[Rob Damon]

I was going to purchase the complete DVD series since I knew I would not be able to catch all the episodes, because my FIL and his brothers had served a year there.

I saw an interview that Ken Burns gave about two weeks before this series started and he said his intent was to present all sides in a neutral way and then let the viewer make up their own mind.

I watched the first and part of the second and a few bits here and their and it felt to me like a overwhelming anti-war documentary. It also seems to bounce around a lot.

So I stopped watching.

If I had not seen his interview first proclaiming his "neutrality", I would have watched the entire thing most likely.

[Bill McNiel]

Folks, this has been an interesting and educational thread. Many of us were deeply affected by the Vietnam war.
Please leave politics and political viewpoints out of the discussion.

This should be a very interesting concept, discussing a very good documentary on the Vietnam "Police Action" without bringing up politics.

[Bill McNiel]

"...while simultaneously demonstrating how blatantly the politicians of time ignored them."

The various presidents involved may or may not have thought about the lessons of history, but I think every one of them, with the possible exception of LBJ, was concerned first and foremost with how pulling out would have affected his re-election chances. In the case of LBJ, I think he dropped out because he knew he couldn't win another term.

While I was over there, I got to know a few of the South Vietnamese very well. They loved Ho Chi Minh as the father of their country, much like George Washington is viewed here. They didn't care one bit about communism or capitalism, only that Ho represented independence.

Very well stated sir!

[Chris Parks]

I watched the first and part of the second and a few bits here and their and it felt to me like a overwhelming anti-war documentary.

If it shows how war is useless and futile at any level it is definitely worth watching, everyone should watch it. As for politics and the Vietnam war it was the ultimate political war and I think it is impossible to have an in depth discussion without politics being discussed. The best thing to come out of it all was the song by Country Joe he sang at Woodstock....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Y0ekr-3So