I’ve binge watched the first 6 episodes, pleased to hear there are more! It’s a really well made doco..

I loved that it was narrated by Peter Coyote. What a guy!

Last 2 on now

If you are interested in this period in Asia try and find a copy of The Quicksand War by Lucien Bodard about the French in Indochina from 1945 to 1958 ish it will blow your mind about what the French actually tried to achieve with a fraction of the men and resources of the Americans in later years

Having collaborated with the Japanese to starve the civilian population during WW2, it’s not surprising that the French weren’t terribly popular with the locals…

Just watching episode 9 now. Perfect post night ride viewing

Watching the footage of Nixon is a timely reminder that having a president as repellent as the present one isn’t a new thing. You couldn’t have a more marked contrast with the dignity and elequence of John Kerry’s speech. I’ve never seen that footage before. And the veterans throwing their medals away outside the White House. Incredible. Powerful, articulate and moving stuff!

Mrs Binners has also pointed out that for a war, it had a bloody great soundtrack!

The John Kerry speach, just speachless watching that…..

Such a powerful, irredeemably pointless war and waste of life that can never be rationalised as a whole. Thousands of individual stories of courage, horror, suffering but also firendships made in the worst circumstances. In some ways, the dead have had the easiest time of it.

I’d see the still photograph of the napalm hit young girl, but never the moving footage.

On a more cheery note, has anyone been to Vietnam, i really want to go now!

A good documentary but I would also like to see one from the North Vietnamese perspective. Although Vietnam became communist later on deep down they were never communist like most people in that region. Communism is just another form of invading ideology that will slowly disappear.

it is a great series and one other thing struck me which sort of made some sense about the gun lobby and gun laws. Why perhaps there is strong feelings not to repeal or reduce gun ownership…

The piece where students were on campus facing off to the national guard who opened fire and killed protestors… That was both shocking and an insight into where current thinking is.

No wonder citizens want to arm themselves against this sort of possibility and no wonder there is such a negative feeling against police and authorities…. US history informs on what has happened in the past and guides current thinking and attitudes.

rickmeister you have a point rear gun laws but a direct parallel would be bloody Sunday (and many other NI shootings on both sides) and yet the population doesn’t call for arms.
The gun lobby supported by and driven by the manufacturers and nra is twisting the “right to bear arms).

Anyway looking forward to watching the rest of the series.

OHI, I see the parallels but I think NI was a political governance / religious issue whereas the US campus shooting was a protest… bit different for me…

Its a great series how the film, music and commentary work together. Shame they haven’t played Gimmie Shelter (or did I miss that?)

Agreed about John Kerry’s speech, summed up the entire disastrous venture.

I’ve not seen the final episode yet but I’ve been a bit disappointed that there hasn’t been anything more than a mention of the allies of the US and the impact upon them.
Maybe it could have done with an episode just to cover the protagonists other than Vietnam and the US?

Can anyone recommend an equivalent documentary covering the Aus, NZ and Taiwanese involvement?

It felels like the series could have done with more episodes as episode 9 felt rushed compared to the previous ones.

Good documentary for someone like me who knows little of this war, the build up to it and the political idiocy that continued it.

What a total clusterf*ck of a war. All the mistakes, petty hates and stupidity repeated endlessly, we have learnt nothing since then.

On a more cheery note, has anyone been to Vietnam, i really want to go now!

Me too,I’ve been looking here https://www.exodus.co.uk/vietnam-holidays
I’ve just finished watching the last 2 episodes,I thought it was a excellent series.
I have a sister living in the States,her partner,Coop, is a Vietnam vet,I’ve never asked him about his service but my dad says he opens up every so often.According to my dad he volunteered with two of his mates,he was the only one to survive.
The other year one of my nephews was in Vietnam & Coop was commenting on how he was there at the same age under different circumstances…

I have missed Ep 2-4 of this and Ep 5 disappears next wed – any other source to view this? –

I thought Ep1 was great but not had any time to watch the rest.. didn’t think BBC would remove it so quickly.

If you liked this get a copy of “Despatches”. Written by Micheal Herr it covers a lot of stuff from the war correspondent’s POV. Excellent read.

Edit: and search out the work of Tim Page. An excellent photog his book “Mentioned in Despatches” has a lot of his images from before a friendly fire incident left him thoroughly **** over.

On a more cheery note, has anyone been to Vietnam, i really want to go now!

Yes been going regularly for nearly 20 years, probably my favourite destination in Asia. Their perspective on the war is as you’d expect, also it’s clear the division North / South was very bitter and those in the South suffered post North’s victory being seen as collaborators. I had numerous Vietnamese colleagues who would speak occasionally although the “all seeing state” prescence could be felt quite clearly

surroundedbyhills – Member

I have missed Ep 2-4 of this and Ep 5 disappears next wed – any other source to view this? –

I thought Ep1 was great but not had any time to watch the rest.. didn’t think BBC would remove it so quickly.

Episode 1 is on again on BBC4 at 11:35 on Saturday 4th Nov. so I’m guessing they are repeating the whole series.

Thanks forza thought I’d missed this.

Cheers!

Just got around to watching the last couple of episodes. I’m not the only one who blubbed like an idiot, am I??

The guy who was saved by his dogs wanting to come back in, while he was sat with the gun in his mouth,about to pull the trigger?

And then almost all of the final episode, especially the bit about the memorial?

No, don’t know what you’re talking about…. 😐

No no none of that 😉
(And the naked girl from the infamous photo hugging her baby…)

Fortunately I watched the last couple of episodes after everyone had gone to bed – the last one in particular got me right in the feels. The quiet dignity of those who had been through that kind of horror was really humbling.

What got me was the marine recounting how he saw two of his buddies get killed trying to rescue him….. how do you live with that?!? pfff.

Edit: And the footage of soldiers throwing their medals over the barbed wire fence at congress – Powerful stuff.

The whole series should be required viewing – so many parallels between Vietnam and almost every conflict/intervention since. Having watched it/heard from the civilians and combatants on both sides, I can’t see myself supporting any kind of conflict intervention in the future. The recordings from the Whitehouse just made me ANGRY

I’m not the only one who blubbed like an idiot, am I??

Nope! The bit with the memorial got me..