PBS Preview - The Vietnam War

[B-47]

I just watched a PBS project about the Vietnam War. It is a new show hese kinds of incidents with people, news organizations, historians, etc. always take me back to my youth. Thirty years ago my hometown historical society, with the help of the local newspaper, wrote a historical article about an incident that happened to me and my family. When I was home to visit family these two groups called to ask me if I would review their story before publication. I said yes, I would be willing to read the story. After I finished reading the story I to be broadcast at a later date about the Vietnam War, how it was scored with music, videos, pictures, etc. The producers where making statements that much of the information was from expert historians who have studied the war. They also invited several Vietnam Vets to help with the narrative. They also discussed that the vets didn't accept the so called non Vietnam vet historians views of the war. Many times the historians described information not factual because it just didn't happen that way. Example, the historian described a tank that had a hole in the side of it was made with a hand grenade and the veteran had to correct him, the hole was caused by an RPG; the grenade could not make that kind of hole in that location of the tank. It is always interesting how historians always write history and believe they were 100% correct but were way off their information.

[jigman51]

Ken Burns did a good job with the Civil War, hope he does justice to Vietnam.

[jimsch]

Saw enough of it in the seventies thank you.

[bassnman81]

I hope this isn't the same old crap that depicts us as being pot smoking baby killers. The only Vietnam movie-show
that's mostly accurate is "We were soldiers" about the first major battle of the war. It's about how the 11th Airborne, in Ga., trained with choppers, went to Nam as the First Air Cav. Div. with the 1st brigade being Airborne, and was the first Army Division in Vietnam ,(the Marines had the first Division there), base camped in An Khe. A brigade of the 101st Airborne supplied security for the Cav. as it settled in An Khe (thanks guys) and literately cleared the area with machetes and hand tools, all hands, including General Wright. It was done this way so low grass would be retained for the 450 helicopters that were on the way for the biggest helipad in the world. This would keep the dust down to protect the engines of the choppers. The first major battle of the war was the Ia Drang Valley.

[Skip]

I wasn't impressed with the preview. I'll see how the first couple'a show's go.

[03FTD]

They never talk about being spit on, called names and having things thrown at us. Always wonder how many of them have grandkids deployed now and what they think of themselves now.

[Crestliner16]

I have always thought that the people who think that they have any clue about Vietnam, and trying to make amends for the way we were mistreated by, such an ungrateful nation, from the armchair idiots and the brainwashed public. Paint it any way you want to, nothing is going to change the outcome. I was led down the primrose path of actually believing in serving as a proud young man. I did two tours, and to watch some of hogwash, that, played out on the nightly news, was very well orchestrated! Ever since my first day, to my last day in combat, I have felt like an outcast.I don't regret my time in service, just the lack of respect and dignity. The V.A. was a joke, just like the benefits , or shall I say, the lack thereof! I have no wish to relive the horrors of what most of us still carry, along with the guilt and ptsd, that took most of my younger years to be able to move on. Trying to make or have people of whom never served in combat, to even understand that, is to me a slap in the face! I have the utmost respect for today's all volunteer military personnel. Ken Burns has done some good work though.

[XpressJeff]

I must agree Crestliner16!

[greendragon]

Well said Crestliner 16. I also had two tours 1st Bde 101st Abn Div. and 5th Special Forces Grp.

[JWW9589]

I am watching it but with a grain of salt since the producer, Ken Burns, is a leftie and Obama supporter (compared Obama to Abraham Lincoln). I don't know anything about his co-producer, Lynn Novick, but I would be careful about anything aired on PBS.

[Skip]

I watched the first 3 episodes and I learned a few thing's I didn't know. Still not real impressed.

[Nobass01]

Brings back too many nightmares for me. Watched about 5 mins

[bassnman81]

Watched enough, it's the SOS.

[Skip]

I think I am too Don. Seem's to be mostly the North Vietnam's side and BS about Washington. Nothing we all didn't know.

[plugneck]

I really enjoyed his documentary on the Civil War. He did a good job of not taking sides and showing history from both perspectives. I have watched the first two episodes of The Vietnam War and it is pretty clear this was produced to make viewers sympathetic of Ho Chi Minh and the North Vietnamese while portraying South Vietnam and the U.S. as the antagonists. I'm not so sure I'll watch the rest.