The Vietnam War is one of the most controversial conflicts in the history of the United States. No matter what one’s feelings were about this war, the History Channel has put together a fascinating set of programs, presenting a non-biased look at the players, decisions, and chronology of the events.
This material can only help to increase the understanding of what actually happened during this troubled time.
Disc One contains the four episodes of “Vietnam: On the Frontlines.” Combining interviews with Vietnam veterans and the actual footage from CBS News coverage, the viewer is given a glimpse into the war that has rarely been seen. Battle stories are heart breaking enough in the words of the veterans, but coupled with the news footage and reporting (for the first time from the front lines,) it becomes a greater more personal grief.
Part 1 “America Enters The War” relates the early days of the war of attrition, where dreadful battles were fought at Ia Drang Valley, Khe Sanh, Con Thien, and Dak To. Part 2 “Tet In Saigon and Hue War” is the record of the bloody ending to the Tet holiday cease-fire, when thousands lost their lives. In this offensive both military personnel and civilians were killed in and around the city of Hue.
Part 3 “Ringing Down the Curtain” chronicles the President’s withdrawal of troops from Vietnam, while poised for incursion into Cambodia. Part 4 “The End Game” tells the story of the last days in Saigon before the city fell to the Communists. News reporters covered the evacuation and rescue of thousands of people both Americans and South Vietnamese.
Disc Two contains three documentaries that look in depth at specific elements concerning the Vietnam War. First is LBJ and Vietnam: In the Eye of the Storm. This documentary explores the decisions made, and the influences that helped shape this President’s policy for the War.
The Second is “Command Decisions: Tet Offensive.” This documentary looks at how a major defeat for the Viet Cong, whiplashed into a public relations nightmare and political disaster in the USA. The Third “Unsung Heroes: The Battle of Khe Sanh”. This is the heart breaking battle that everyone watched on television. For 77 days American soldiers fought valiantly against all odds for a base that had little to offer.
The Vietnam War has a complete running time of 5 hours and 44 minutes, with film in both color and black and white. There are no easy answers for what happened in this conflict, but by examining information such as these documentaries and programs that combine first hand accounts of both soldiers and reporters, it is possible to see how some of the decisions were made, hoping for the best, but often having to suffer setbacks.
For those who experienced this conflict, these are but pale shadows. For the rest of us, they help us to understand.
The Vietnam War (History Channel) is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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