The Vietnam War

Every episode is an extraordinary lesson and the teachers are not trying to convert us but enlighten us. One side, both sides, all sides.To me, personally, the most shocking aspect of it all is its absurdity. As more troops are sent back to Afghanistan by the Trump administration, one wonders. Haven't we learned anything? Watching and listening to American vets, listening to Vietcong veterans saying, "We saw the American crying for their deaths and I though, they are just like us" The fact that something like that can be a revelation is part of the mystery of it all. Don't we know from day one that we're all the same? Humans. To Ken Burns and all of his partners and collaborators, thank you, thank you very much.

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.

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.

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)

This is overwhelming. This documentary had me riveted through all 10 episodes.

I recorded it, but could never proceed directly to the next episode because so much emotion was packed into each one. I had to give at least a day between each viewing. After viewing an episode I would shut the TV off. Watching anything after would have been anti-climatic compared to the intensity of what I had just absorbed.

Among many excellent passages from the documentary, this is one of my favourite commentaries: "It is very, very difficult to dispel ignorance if you retain arrogance".

We are provided with the full panoply of the Vietnam War, with many different viewpoints and opinions. From start to finish this is visually engrossing. Full congratulations go to the makers of this unforgettable documentary.