Anyone watching the Ken Burns documentary on Vietnam?

[Dr. Acula]

So just started watching this last night and damn this shyt is really good. There is so much stuff I had no idea about and I consider myself a significant history buff.

What makes it particularly good is that the first episode goes a lot into the history of Vietnam under French rule and before the war and I find that history more fascinating than the war itself.

In retrospect it highlights the arrogance and narrow mindedness of American perspective and sadly it's still applicable.

 

[Darth Nubian]

When ol'boy said "my hatred was pure" I was hooked. Crazy how everyone in government knew the war was a waste, yet everyone was afraid to stop something that everyone hated.

 

[88m3]

you already know

 

[SmallWars]

Just watched the first episode

 

[Good Guy Guevara]

Currently watching this now and it's the best documentary on the war I've ever seen. Only on episode 3 and this is incredible.

 

[Matt504]

Yeah, it's pretty informative

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Link

 

[Dr. Acula]

When ol'boy said "my hatred was pure" I was hooked. Crazy how everyone in government knew the war was a waste, yet everyone was afraid to stop something that everyone hated.

Even Kennedy said

"This war in Vietnam is a lost cause, but i don't know politically if I can get reelected if I give up such a large area".

I know all this stuff is political to some degree but its fascinating to me that this country constantly makes bad decisions because of the political implication instead of whether is a good or bad thing to do. Hell, its happening now with the healthcare debate. Republicans know its a shyt plan, yet Republicans fear for their future politically with the right wing crazies.

shyt just keeps repeating itself. Amazing

When that one dude who worked with vietcong sympathizing peasants and farmers said "If you kill one enemy, you kill one enemy. You kill one innocent person you create 10 enemies and the US often killed the innocent person" was so on point and our dumbass government still thinks bombing people into submission is somehow a winning strategy.

So much knowledgeable insights are being dropped by this series and I only finished episode 2

 

[Dr. Acula]

Link

you can watch for free online I think

Watch | The Vietnam War

Damn this shyt is going to be 18 hours long . Didn't even know that until I looked at the website.

 

[fairfax12]

The archival footage and present day interviews that narrate the footage is my favorite part. His team has never done a bad PBS doc, he does the work and it shows. Makes me wonder why a comprehensive "American Slavery" or "African Americans" one hasn't been done?
I know Henry Louis Gates does his thing and that's a great series of videos too.

I'm wondering if they're going to talk about drug use in this Vietnam story. I saw the sign pictured below while I watched.

 

[iceberg_is_on_fire]

Ken Burns is the GOAT of documentaries. The only thing I've ever seen wrong from him is when he wears that goofy shyt on his head.

He's 64 years old, wishing he was the 5th Beatle or some shyt.

 

[DonFrancisco]

The part of the documentary about the Tet Offensive will be lit. The fact that a failed offensive caused the US to gradually disengage from Vietnam still blows my mind.

 

[King Static X]

Yeah, I'm watching it. I've watched all 5 episodes so far. The 6th one is airing on Sunday. It's pretty good and very interesting. Sadly, many of the same sh*t is happening now.

 

[Deflatedhoopdreams]

Yup. Great shyt.

 

[Shogun]

Crazy he got license to use all those songs.