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The Vietnam War

  • TV Mini Series
  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
9.1/10
32K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,251
73
The Vietnam War (2017)
A comprehensive history of the United States' involvement in the bitterly divisive armed conflict in Southeast Asia.
Play trailer2:01
1 Video
54 Photos
DocuseriesHistory DocumentaryMilitary DocumentaryDocumentaryHistoryWar

A comprehensive history of the United States' involvement in the bitterly divisive armed conflict in Southeast Asia.A comprehensive history of the United States' involvement in the bitterly divisive armed conflict in Southeast Asia.A comprehensive history of the United States' involvement in the bitterly divisive armed conflict in Southeast Asia.

  • Stars
    • Peter Coyote
    • Huy Duc
    • James Willbanks
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    9.1/10
    32K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,251
    73
    • Stars
      • Peter Coyote
      • Huy Duc
      • James Willbanks
    • 182User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Top rated TV #22
    • Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys
      • 5 wins & 10 nominations total

    Episodes10

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    TopTop-rated1 season2017

    Videos1

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    Top cast94

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    Peter Coyote
    Peter Coyote
    • Self - Narrator
    • 2017
    Huy Duc
    • Self - North Vietnam…
    • 2017
    James Willbanks
    • Self - Army Advisor…
    • 2017
    Duong Van Mai Elliott
    • Self - Saigon…
    • 2017
    Joachim Król
    Joachim Król
    • Self - Sprecher
    • 2017
    Ernst August Schepmann
    • Self - Sprecher
    • 2017
    Bernt Hahn
    • Self - Sprecher
    • 2017
    Josef Tratnik
    • Self - Sprecher
    • 2017
    Simon Roden
    • Self - Sprecher
    • 2017
    Hans-Gerd Kilbinger
    • Self - Sprecher
    • 2017
    Maximilian Hilbrand
    • Self - Sprecher
    • 2017
    Renate Fuhrmann
    • Self - Sprecherin
    • 2017
    Robert Steudtner
    • Self - Sprecherin
    • 2017
    John Musgrave
    • Self - Marines…
    • 2017
    Phan Quang Tue
    Phan Quang Tue
    • Self - Saigon
    • 2017
    Karl Marlantes
    Karl Marlantes
    • Self - Marines
    • 2017
    Nguyen Ngoc
    • Self - N. Vietnamese Army…
    • 2017
    Bao Ninh
    • Self - N. Vietnamese Army…
    • 2017
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews182

    9.132.3K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'The Vietnam War' by Ken Burns is lauded for its comprehensive coverage, emotional impact, and detailed archival footage, offering a thorough exploration of the conflict. Common themes include the war's complexity, human cost, and political ramifications. Criticisms focus on perceived biases, selective veteran representation, and the documentary's length. Some call for a more balanced portrayal of all sides involved.
    AI-generated from the text of user reviews

    Featured reviews

    9crwdennis-cd

    Great documentary series with some possible limitations

    Well, I thought that was an amazing documentary. I think Ken Burns does an epic and moving job covering the events from a big picture political perspective. You really get a sense of the weight of history, and the scale of tragedy, particularly how decisions made by presidents and governments set in motion forces that led to catastrophic suffering. Millions of deaths and unhealed emotional wounds. I also thought the documentary was very good at the military level, describing battles and engagements that I had never heard of, in a reasonable detail. And the music and photography was epic. Seeing those pictures of old-time American life juxtaposed with the chaos of Vietnam was so moving. I also thought the reconciliation part at the end was really beautiful.

    There were three things about the documentary that I did think were weaknesses.

    1. There was such a focus on the protests, and starting so early on in the series, it kind of overwhelmed the narrative in some ways. I have read that the vast majority of veterans were proud of their service in Vietnam, and did not have this tortured sense of regret and shame that you see with those interviewed in the series. Some did but not most.

    (for evidence see this article - https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/ken- burnss-vietnam-is-fair-to-the-troops-but-not-the-cause-1507324058)

    2. I wonder about the conspiratorial angle of things. This documentary portrays the North Vietnamese as almost magically destined to win, as if it was inevitable, as if nothing the Americans could have done would have made any ultimate difference. I just wonder if part of the reason the Americans lost is because they weren't allowed to win. I mean, had the Americans occupied Hanoi and Haiphong Harbour, would not the North Vietnamese have been unable to prosecute the war? Surely if the Ho Chi Minh trail was permanently occupied in several places there wouldn't be the communist resupply into South Vietnam? But perhaps none of this would have been possible without China directly entering the conflict. Who knows.

    3.Because the documentary is so long, and also attempts to cover the bigger historical events, I don't think it captures the day to day experience of the Vietnamese villagers that well. I mean, what made someone turn to the VietCong? What was daily life like? There is another, Vietnamese documentary "the face of the enemy" which I think does a better job of this.

    Overall, a fascinating time spent watching this, and I recommend it to all with caveats.
    Tail_End_Charlie

    The Vietnam War - Haunting and Alarming

    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)
    10fanaticusanonymous

    A Brilliant and Shattering Historical Document

    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.
    9andy-168-53555

    Superbly structured, balanced telling of a disastrous tragedy.

    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.
    10GingerJohn

    Excellent and enlightening

    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.

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Many of the combat footage reels shown throughout the series are not from the battle being discussed, for example, during the discussion of Saigon during the Tet Offensive, several videos filmed in the city of Hue are shown as if they are in Saigon.
    • Connections
      Featured in Ken Burns: America's Storyteller (2017)

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    FAQ16

    • How many seasons does The Vietnam War have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 17, 2017 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • France
    • Official sites
      • Ken Burns The Vietnam War Website
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • Vietnamese
    • Also known as
      • Війна у В'єтнамі
    • Production companies
      • ARTE
      • Florentine Films
      • PBS Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 30m(90 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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