"Vietnam War documentaries redux" Topic

NOTE: This topic should not be interpreted nor used as a platform for political opinions or discussion. This is just a poll simply gauging choices.

Of the documentaries made so far concerning the Vietnam War, which of the following told a complete story about all aspects and views of the conflict?

1. 'The Vietnam War' (2017)
2. 'Vietnam in HD' (2011)
3. 'Battlefield: Vietnam' (1999)
4. 'Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam' (1987)
5. 'Vietnam: A Television History' (1983)
6. 'Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War' (1980-82)
7. 'Hearts and Minds' (1974)
8. 'The World of Charlie Company' (1970)
9. 'The Anderson Platoon' (1968)
10. 'The Mills of the Gods: Viet Nam' (1965)
11. other (explain)
12. none of these/no opinion

I say again, #1. H

1.

Very impressed with Burns' program, number one in my mind. There was a documentary from the 80s that impressed me. Don't remember the title though.

I'd have to go back and rewatch a lot of them. Anderson Platoon didn't show all aspects, as it only follows one small group briefly. Sam for Charlie Co.

1. I, especially, liked the interviews with the Viet Minh, NLF and NVA soldiers. A lot of information from the other side that was new to me.

of all the earlier ones…."the 1000 day war" stirred a strong "negative" (you can paraphrase) response, Vietnam in HD…about the same. didn't watch it until a long time after it was released.

figured this one would be another baby killer sermon. I think so far, the most unbiased truthful account of the "Era".
would love to hear what the other TMP veterans thought.

Thank you Mr. Burns…job well done. My opinion is not alone. Tragedy, bravery, and to a degree somewhat closure.

#1

Sam

I'm with Cyrus. I really like the first hand interviews,and lets get them now. I say that,and I'm not trying to be disrepectful,but the Nam vets are getting up there in age,and many,many of them have poor health. I work with many VA patients,and more than once Ive said that you deserve the best we can give you,because you didnt get it when you came home. Nam had to be bad for alot of these guys,because the most often quoted memory I hear is about sitting around and smoking weed.

BBC currently showing a vietnam series, I guess its no1, ive found it interesting so far.

5 and 6 ive seen and watched them a few times.
Not seen any of the others.

1. Hands down

1. 'The Vietnam War' (2017)

Yep … #1 …

I liked Green Berets a lot.

When it first came out, Mills of the Gods was an excellent coverage of the war, but is now dated. Good background however. Should be watched after Burns' "The Viet Nam War." As a warmer, I thought Burns got the uniforms and equipment right on in his movie.

Saginaw: this is a brilliant post, many thanks.

I just posted on another thread saying the Burns doc is the best televisual documention of the Vietnam war I've ever seen. As I was typing it I realised it's also probably the *only* such doc I've seen… so of course it's going to be the best!

As things stand – i.e. until I see something better – it's still my #1 pick. But since I haven't seen any of the others on your list, I'll certainly be looking to do so.

I note in several threads here numerous people attacking the Burns films for a left of centre bias. I won't get drawn into that debate other than to say that I think Burns/Novick cover many positions, and by and large allow the talking heads, past and present, to say what they feel, without judgment.

One other source on the Vietnam war I encountered in my youth was a stack of old National Geogrpahic magazines we'd inherited from some family friends. A whole slew of these came from the period of the Vietnam war, and I remember being fascinated by them. In particular by the pictures: two aspects most impressed me, both having a hardware aspect of sorts, I guess, were the images of helicopter warfare, and gunboats on the Mekong Delta.

Are there any good films – documentary or dramatic – on the river wars in Vietnam? (Don't say Apocalypse Now: I've seen that many times)

Cheers, Sebastian

I'm currently watching the 1983 series, Vietnam a Television History. It's superb. A 13 episode 13 hour 'sledgehammer' style series, based on the British BBC2 template established by David Attenborough, with series like Civilisation or the Ascent of Man. It seems to be very much the equal of the recent Burns/Novick series. Very balanced, with views from all sides, plenty of talking heads. Like the 2017 series, it's another PBS rooted production.

PS – The theme music is by Mickey Hart & Bill Kreuzman, the two drummers from The Grateful Dead.