The Vietnam War

Heartbreaking. Deeply moving and beautiful film about a great tragedy. Many of the 18 hours made me want to cry.

I've watched every minute of every film Ken Burns ever made. I couldn't be a bigger fan. I know not everyone is, but I don't understand how. (Too emotional? Emotions are the greatest truths. And that's never more the case than in this film "The Vietnam War".) (Too liberal? No, objective, moderate.)

It's common for Burns's works to contain important tangential sub-themes. (A primary sub-theme of "Baseball" was race in America.)

"The Vietnam War" only had minor tangential sub-themes. It's story is so important that it didn't need major ones. Burns's "The Civil War" (about the only more-divisive war in American history) told the story of a nation growing up, coming together. "The Vietnam War" tells the story of America becoming it's modern, highly polarized, ungovernable/chaotic present. As such this film could not be more current, relevant, and important.

I'm honestly shocked at some of the negative reviews. This is quite comprehensive and almost seems appropriate that there are so many personal accounts intertwined. It's actually a blessing to have so many people from that generation (I was a baby and young child over those years) able to share their insight.

From the beginning, we get the history of France's involvement in the region starting in the mid 19th century and it leads through the political history of Vietnam along with some of their key leaders.

I think for many who think Vietnam was a mistake, its true but perhaps not for the reasons many assume. But there is a lot of overlap over administrations from Truman to Nixon back then to what's happening now starting with Iraq and likely even before then. We never learned the lessons of Vietnam and to this day over both democratic and republican controlled leadership, we have made the same mistakes in the Middle East.

This's should be must TV for people today to see how much we and our leaders haven't learned.

Burns, Novick, and their team committed years of research to this worthwhile project, expressed in 10 episodes. If I had to sum up my experience in watching 5 episodes thus far, I would say that this program is casting a glaring light at how little I knew about this war.

Just as bracing as the war imagery is the multiplicity of interviews... Burns and Novick wisely feature all sides to speak forth. The recall of combat experience is expressed by soldiers (both sides), families, POWs, journalists, and activists. As might be expected, some of what the soldiers express is horrific.

The tape recordings of several US Presidents and their war advisors are an essential part "The Vietnam War".

Can a film like this be presented in a genuinely objective manner?" For many years now, the wide majority of people would agree that this war should not have happened, and it's a difficult task for any director to not infuse a film with their personal viewpoints. As another reviewer noted, it's obvious that the sentiment of this film is most assuredly against the war.

Finally, I'll leave you with a quote:

"It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, more vengeance, more desolation. War is hell." - General William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-91)

First a disclaimer of sorts.

My dad (now deceased) served with the Australian Army from 1953 through to 1983, and did 3 Tours in Vietnam as a regular soldier. His first was with the AATTV (Australian Army Training Team Vietnam), as an Military Adviser to Vietnamese Forces, and his other two Tours took place after Australia Committed Regular Army units to Vietnam, with SASR.

He died of cancer at 65.

With this in mind My review of this excellent start to what looks like being an informative and educational program now follows.

My chief gripe in the introduction to the main body of the work was the lack of mention of any effort by their Allies such as Australia or New Zealand, also the bit on Korea made it sound wholly a US War which it wasn't - it was a UN operation, involving everyone from Turkey and Greece through to British Commenwealth Forces.

Australia for example deployed everything from an Aircraft Carrier (HMAS Sydney),Naval Frigates and Fighter Squadrons through to Ground Forces, with all 3 services (RAN,RAAF and RAR) seeing extensive service and being involved in large scale battles such as Kapyong.

Now to the good bits.

Seeing it from the viewpoint of the Vietnamese was brilliant, both north and south. Talking about the French and American efforts early in the build up to the war was also great.

The musical score, be it the opening by Bob Dylan, or the instrumental work done by Yo Yo Ma and Atticus Ross And Trent Reznor is as usual spot on and not overpowering or taking away from the story its backgrounding.

All in all a great start which I look forward to seeing more of.

Over the years I have soaked up every film and documentary I could find on the subject of the Vietnam war, and I can say this series is by far the most profoundly complete I have seen. It uses insights from the individuals caught up in it - the Viet Cong & North Vietnamese Army, the US Military & South Vietnamese army, civilians from both sides, politicians and journalists alike, to explain, account and report from the early circumstances causing the build up and outbreak of the war through the fierce intensity at the height of the conflict to the final withdrawal and legacies.

It explores and reports the socio-political aspects, the strategies and technologies, the cultural contrasts of the belligerents and most of all the people fighting it. It gets across the absolute sacrificial determined tenacity of the north Vietnamese and Viet Cong people - hand made IEDs and mind boggling hard graft versus the richest most technically advanced, but often disillusioned, army in the world (not the last time this would happen). It covers every angle - it's the most complete and compelling telling of this tragic yet fascinating landmark in our history that I've come across.

If you have an interest in this significant piece of modern history - the first rock n roll war - which became an unmitigated disaster, this brilliant, powerful and compelling series is absolutely unmissable.