The Viet Nam War, Ken Burns Documentary

Steve Williams

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We discovered this (originally broadcast on PBS) Ken Burns documentary last week on Netflix and we just could not stop watching it. This is Ken Burns at his very finest. It truly gives a complete overview of the war in Viet Nam and how it affected 5 different US Presidents.

Some of the video clips are very graphic and TBH there were so many of these film clips that I remembered watching bacon the 60's ever night on the evening news.

The interviews of everyone were enlightening as they started with the typical US Marine grunt who either never graduated from High School or graduated and wanted to be a Marine. The reward was that the Marines got 13 months of service whereas the army only got 12 months.

Burns systematic description of the tactics of the North and South Viet Namese was enlightening. Corruption in the south with mock leaderships and the Viet Cong guerrillas in the north who were lead by Ho Chi Minh and united with the NVA.

From the very beginning every president said it was a war that could never be won. It was a war by proxy and the first war fought with helicopters and in the jungles as gorilla warfare. There was never anything won or claimed by either side as the guerrillas escaped down the hills or through the jungles after every offensive

The loss of life on every side was staggering

This documentary is a MUST watch. It spares nothing. It brings back memories for me as I watched the war unfold every night on the evening news. America was in chaos as a result. The documentary also focused on what the war did in tearing apart America.

The documentary consists of 10 episodes varying in length from 1 1/2 hours to just over 2 hours. It was intense and gripping and truly gave the best overview of the war that I have ever seen

Definitely thumbs up, way up
 

ddk

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Saw it a few years ago when it came out, it's excellent.

david
 

DaveyF

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Superb documentary on every level. Really illuminated how the US presidents and leaders were full of hubris...at the huge cost of life for so many of the population that were unfortunate enough to not be in the upper echelons. Total disgrace, imo.
 

still-one

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Also watch it when it first came out on PBS. The excellent job buy Ken Burns.
 

Steve Williams

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Superb documentary on every level. Really illuminated how the US presidents and leaders were full of hubris...at the huge cost of life for so many of the population that were unfortunate enough to not be in the upper echelons. Total disgrace, imo.

And that post was brought home by saying the affluent and well heeled aided the draft by serving in the Peace Corps or the Army Reserve or The Coast Guard as they showed photos of Bill Clinton and GW as students.

Point was well made
 

WLVCA

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Yet we continue to make the same mistakes over and over and over again. How many unnecessary and unjustifiable wars must we fight? How many maimed and dead must we suffer and inflict? How much treasure must we squander?

It is unbelievable that we somehow never learn our lesson.

Which war is next? Iran? North Korea?
 

RogerD

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The first CIA dirty war, that opened up the Southeast Asia heroine trade through Burma. It had a multi profound effect on America including the assassination of a sitting U.S. President.
 

Priaptor

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The first CIA dirty war, that opened up the Southeast Asia heroine trade through Burma. It had a multi profound effect on America including the assassination of a sitting U.S. President.

First the Vietnam War was deplorable as was the welcome home our soldiers got predominantly from (our) flower power generation most of whom were those affluent and/or well connected enough to get out of the draft BUT how was it responsible for the assassination of JFK?
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
First the Vietnam War was deplorable as was the welcome home our soldiers got predominantly from (our) flower power generation most of whom were those affluent and/or well connected enough to get out of the draft BUT how was it responsible for the assassination of JFK?

I’m wondering the same thing
 

RogerD

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First the Vietnam War was deplorable as was the welcome home our soldiers got predominantly from (our) flower power generation most of whom were those affluent and/or well connected enough to get out of the draft BUT how was it responsible for the assassination of JFK?

JFK was a enemy of the Dulles brothers who ran the CIA see here...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Dulles

Kennedy was informed of Dulles plans for a war in Vietnam by President Eisenhower. John Kennedy planned to pull out of Vietnam and disband the CIA. The assassination of JFK allowed the CIA headed by H.W. Bush to establish rat lines in South East Asia for the CIA's covert operations throughout the world i.e. Iran Contra. Ross Perot despised Bush because of this. Guns for drugs was run out of Mena, Arkansas. Even to this day the CIA still funds it's black ops using drug money and larger illicit operations.
 

Priaptor

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JFK was a enemy of the Dulles brothers who ran the CIA see here...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Dulles

Kennedy was informed of Dulles plans for a war in Vietnam by President Eisenhower. John Kennedy planned to pull out of Vietnam and disband the CIA. The assassination of JFK allowed the CIA headed by H.W. Bush to establish rat lines in South East Asia for the CIA's covert operations throughout the world i.e. Iran Contra. Ross Perot despised Bush because of this. Guns for drugs was run out of Mena, Arkansas. Even to this day the CIA still funds it's black ops using drug money and larger illicit operations.

So you are invoking some conspiratorial reasoning here. Nothing factual.

Kind of reminds me of some of the debates we have regarding audio.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
JFK was a enemy of the Dulles brothers who ran the CIA see here...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Dulles

Kennedy was informed of Dulles plans for a war in Vietnam by President Eisenhower. John Kennedy planned to pull out of Vietnam and disband the CIA. The assassination of JFK allowed the CIA headed by H.W. Bush to establish rat lines in South East Asia for the CIA's covert operations throughout the world i.e. Iran Contra. Ross Perot despised Bush because of this. Guns for drugs was run out of Mena, Arkansas. Even to this day the CIA still funds it's black ops using drug money and larger illicit operations.

interesting story but how does this trickle down to Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey Oswald
 

RogerD

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interesting story but how does this trickle down to Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey Oswald

Ruby was a gun runner and connected to the mob which is well documented. As the CIA used New Orleans, Mexico City and Montreal Canada as safe houses. Oswald was involved in the bay of pigs... Oswald was not a shooter, as a team of 5 or 6 shooters were used who were brought in for the job. The job was funded out of the heroin trade using the Montreal rat line for cash payments.

The Zapruder film went to the Eastman Kodak laboratory in Rochester New York to be edited. The front windshield of the Limousine was removed and delivered to the Ford factory to be used as a template for a exact replacement. The original windshield had a front entry bullet hole and the shot was fired from the railroad bridge in front of the limousine. The shot fired hit JFK in the throat.

The head of military intelligence was riding in the back up car directly behind the limousine. This is all documented if one wants to investigate. It was a Coup d'état carried out by the Mob, U.S. intel, and Division 5.

Now this group is known as the Shadow Government. The only President to ever drain the swap was Andrew Jackson...but they regained power in 1913. Presently there is a civil war going on between the white hats and the black hats in the Intel organizations and the U.S Military.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017...jfk-assassination-files-may-change-everything
 
Last edited:

DaveyF

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Ruby was a gun runner and connected to the mob which is well documented. As the CIA used New Orleans, Mexico City and Montreal Canada as safe houses. Oswald was involved in the bay of pigs... Oswald was not a shooter, as a team of 5 or 6 shooters were used who were brought in for the job. The job was funded out of the heroin trade using the Montreal rat line for cash payments.

The Zapruder film went to the Eastman Kodak laboratory in Rochester New York to be edited. The front windshield of the Limousine was removed and delivered to the Ford factory to be used as a template for a exact replacement. The original windshield had a front entry bullet hole and the shot was fired from the railroad bridge in front of the limousine. The shot fired hit JFK in the throat.

The head of military intelligence was riding in the back up car directly behind the limousine. This is all documented if one wants to investigate. It was a Coup d'état carried out by the Mob, U.S. intel, and Division 5.

Now this group is known as the Shadow Government. The only President to ever drain the swap was Andrew Jackson...but they regained power in 1913. Presently there is a civil war going on between the white hats and the black hats in the Intel organizations and the U.S Military.


That’s very interesting, Roger. Thanks for posting it.
 

BruceD

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Agree astonishing and graphic Series-- oh so sad on so many fronts.

"watching bacon in the 60's " Ah- the joys of Spellcheck;)

BD
 

astrotoy

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The Vietnam War still has many victims today. My younger brother (2 years younger, now 71y.o.) drew a low number in the lottery, I drew a high number. He went to 'Nam and I didn't. Served a year as a grunt (look it up). After coming back he has had all sorts of health problems all through his life (which his two siblings didn't have) and is now dying of cancer. Was it Agent Orange or some other toxic defoliant? Who knows. For many years he has volunteered at the VA counseling vets who have serious mental problems from their time in 'Nam. Unfortunately, they didn't have bone spurs.

Larry
 

Hi-FiGuy

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I watched it an thought it was very well done.
When you are up against a country that does not value human life as much as Americans and they just keep sending more bodies and more bodies they are going to win by attrition. It was a bad deal, a lot of people died over a very small plot of land.
I was too young at the time to grasp hold of the totality of the situation. To me it was just the body count on the evening news my parents watched.
Very well done with view points from all sides.
A terrible tragedy.
 

jeff1225

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The Vietnam War still has many victims today. My younger brother (2 years younger, now 71y.o.) drew a low number in the lottery, I drew a high number. He went to 'Nam and I didn't. Served a year as a grunt (look it up). After coming back he has had all sorts of health problems all through his life (which his two siblings didn't have) and is now dying of cancer. Was it Agent Orange or some other toxic defoliant? Who knows. For many years he has volunteered at the VA counseling vets who have serious mental problems from their time in 'Nam. Unfortunately, they didn't have bone spurs.

Larry

Bone spurs, the scourge of the affluent. I hope they find a cure....soon.
 

jeff1225

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An excellent documentary with many lessons for the present and future. We owe significant credit to the 'Enemy of the People,' ie the Free Press for reporting the truth on the ground in Vietnam and having the guts to release the Pentagon Papers.

Looking forward to the Burns documentary on the Iraq War, hopefully it becomes a reality.
 

jadis

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Ruby was a gun runner and connected to the mob which is well documented. As the CIA used New Orleans, Mexico City and Montreal Canada as safe houses. Oswald was involved in the bay of pigs... Oswald was not a shooter, as a team of 5 or 6 shooters were used who were brought in for the job. The job was funded out of the heroin trade using the Montreal rat line for cash payments.

The Zapruder film went to the Eastman Kodak laboratory in Rochester New York to be edited. The front windshield of the Limousine was removed and delivered to the Ford factory to be used as a template for a exact replacement. The original windshield had a front entry bullet hole and the shot was fired from the railroad bridge in front of the limousine. The shot fired hit JFK in the throat.

The head of military intelligence was riding in the back up car directly behind the limousine. This is all documented if one wants to investigate. It was a Coup d'état carried out by the Mob, U.S. intel, and Division 5.

Now this group is known as the Shadow Government. The only President to ever drain the swap was Andrew Jackson...but they regained power in 1913. Presently there is a civil war going on between the white hats and the black hats in the Intel organizations and the U.S Military.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017...jfk-assassination-files-may-change-everything

Very interesting indeed. I have been following this topic since I read David Lifton's book The Best Evidence decades ago and later on the video of The Men Who Killed Kennedy. First time to hear about the 'rat lines' and I shall read on re the posted URLs.
 

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