The Vietnam War - Ken Burns

ReaL Madras

Striker
Staff member
I’ve been watching this with my father in law who joined the American Air Force to avoid the draft. Absolutely brilliant series by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, but watching my father in law re-living his steps through to signing up is fascinating.

I’ve learned so much about the politics and build up that I never knew. What an absolute clusterfuck by the American governments and military of the time. President LJ and General Westmoreland come across particularly badly throughout.
 


I’ve been watching this with my father in law who joined the American Air Force to avoid the draft. Absolutely brilliant series by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, but watching my father in law re-living his steps through to signing up is fascinating.

I’ve learned so much about the politics and build up that I never knew. What an absolute clusterfuck by the American governments and military of the time. President LJ and General Westmoreland come across particularly badly throughout.

His docs on The West and the American civil war are on Netflix too and worth a watch. Both brilliant
 
I used to work with Vietnam veterans with PTSD. I've heard some amazing and horrifying stories about this conflict but what stands out is the barrier between government policy and the front line that led to such great loss of life. It's interesting to see that whilst lessons learned in Vietnam have been applied successfully imho, many of the larger issues are repeated.
 
Was in Ho Chi Minh City last summer, the war remnants museum is one of the most harrowing places I’ve ever been to. Also done a tunnels tour which was a good day out and really interesting, the guide refused to call it anything other than the American War.
 
Was in Ho Chi Minh City last summer, the war remnants museum is one of the most harrowing places I’ve ever been to. Also done a tunnels tour which was a good day out and really interesting, the guide refused to call it anything other than the American War.
Cu Chi Tunnels? Sounds like the Americans had some gruesome deaths there.

Ho Chi Minh museum is a much more somber place than Hanoi - which appears a little more of a celebration of their victory.
 
Cu Chi Tunnels? Sounds like the Americans had some gruesome deaths there.

Ho Chi Minh museum is a much more somber place than Hanoi - which appears a little more of a celebration of their victory.
Aye that’s the one. Fatty like me wasn’t fitting in most of those tunnels but I gave some of them a go. Gonna do Hanoi if I’m over that side of the world again.
 
For anyone who hasn’t seen it:

Round many essays on that incident, I’ve interviewed soldiers over phone about it

Perfect storm it was

Aye that’s the one. Fatty like me wasn’t fitting in most of those tunnels but I gave some of them a go. Gonna do Hanoi if I’m over that side of the world again.

Didn’t fancy it me, turned into a tourist trap with loads of twats getting exactly the same photo
 
Round many essays on that incident, I’ve interviewed soldiers over phone about it

Perfect storm it was



Didn’t fancy it me, turned into a tourist trap with loads of twats getting exactly the same photo
Enjoyed it like, had a good guide who passed a lot of knowledge on. Didn’t appreciate a lizard jumping from a tree onto me shoulder though little bastard.
 

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