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Burns/Novak Vietnam

Rexedgar

Rexedgar

Yo-Semite!
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I lived through this. I served US Army 1972-1975, never left CONUS. Anyone else watching this PBS documentary? In about episode 3 or 4 there is a statement by a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine), the powers in the government had by 1965 identified that the conflict in Vietnam was unwinable, the Marine stated "that was a full three years before they sent me." The other thing that I was not aware of was the fact that Nixon kept the South Vietnamese reps away from the peace table until after his election to make his position seem stronger, costing untold US military deaths and wounds. I admit that I was brainwashed at the time. 'My country" would not knowingly lie to me! Bull crap! The lying has never stopped. The old always send the young and dumb to die for their causes. This is a well done film and I expected no less from the past work of Ken Burns.

PS at one point in the conflict we (the US military) had over 500,000 troops in the country. WTF?


"Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It." Really? | Big Think
 
Rexedgar said:
I lived through this. I served US Army 1972-1975, never left CONUS. Anyone else watching this PBS documentary? In about episode 3 or 4 there is a statement by a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine), the powers in the government had by 1965 identified that the conflict in Vietnam was unwinable, the Marine stated "that was a full three years before they sent me." The other thing that I was not aware of was the fact that Nixon kept the South Vietnamese reps away from the peace table until after his election to make his position seem stronger, costing untold US military deaths and wounds. I admit that I was brainwashed at the time. 'My country" would not knowingly lie to me! Bull crap! The lying has never stopped. The old always send the young and dumb to die for their causes. This is a well done film and I expected no less from the past work of Ken Burns.

PS at one point in the conflict we (the US military) had over 500,000 troops in the country. WTF?


"Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It." Really? | Big Think
Click to expand...

Stuff like this is mind blowing. Thousands of soldiers were killed on Armistice Day during WWI. The leaders knew peace was close at hand but still allowed people to kill one another and die.
 
iliveonramen said:
Stuff like this is mind blowing. Thousands of soldiers were killed on Armistice Day during WWI. The leaders knew peace was close at hand but still allowed people to kill one another and die.
Click to expand...

Many years ago I visited the American Military Cemetary at Romagne, France. The resting place of one of my boyhood heroes, Lt Frank Luke, "The Arizona Balloon Buster." I paid my respects and toured the rest of the immaculately kept grounds. I was amazed at the numbers of US servicemen whose death dates were 11NOV18 and even days later. A sobering moment!
 
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Rexedgar said:
I lived through this. I served US Army 1972-1975, never left CONUS. Anyone else watching this PBS documentary? In about episode 3 or 4 there is a statement by a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine), the powers in the government had by 1965 identified that the conflict in Vietnam was unwinable, the Marine stated "that was a full three years before they sent me." The other thing that I was not aware of was the fact that Nixon kept the South Vietnamese reps away from the peace table until after his election to make his position seem stronger, costing untold US military deaths and wounds. I admit that I was brainwashed at the time. 'My country" would not knowingly lie to me! Bull crap! The lying has never stopped. The old always send the young and dumb to die for their causes. This is a well done film and I expected no less from the past work of Ken Burns.

PS at one point in the conflict we (the US military) had over 500,000 troops in the country. WTF?


"Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It." Really? | Big Think
Click to expand...


I was 4-f during the Vietnam war and I watched bits and pieces of it but frankly I find the war so disconcerting that I just don't watch much. The show is very well done.
 
Rexedgar said:
I lived through this. I served US Army 1972-1975, never left CONUS. Anyone else watching this PBS documentary? In about episode 3 or 4 there is a statement by a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine), the powers in the government had by 1965 identified that the conflict in Vietnam was unwinable, the Marine stated "that was a full three years before they sent me." The other thing that I was not aware of was the fact that Nixon kept the South Vietnamese reps away from the peace table until after his election to make his position seem stronger, costing untold US military deaths and wounds. I admit that I was brainwashed at the time. 'My country" would not knowingly lie to me! Bull crap! The lying has never stopped. The old always send the young and dumb to die for their causes. This is a well done film and I expected no less from the past work of Ken Burns.

PS at one point in the conflict we (the US military) had over 500,000 troops in the country. WTF?


"Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It." Really? | Big Think
Click to expand...

June 1970 to June 1971 for me.

Your country might not lie to you, but your government certainly will. I was completely neutral when I went, but it took just a short time to realize that my country had no business there, and that I had been misinformed.

Though my country had no business there, my government did.

The documentary was good, but I watched only 3 and 4. That POTUS Clinton and Obama would eventually try to portray the war as some noble effort demonstrates that propaganda is a 24/7 effort, and goes on for years, attempting to rewrite history.
 
I didn't watch it.

My two tours...Dec. 69-Dec. 70 and Aug 71 - Aug 72...are indelibly imprinted in my mind and memory. I don't need a TV show to tell me what it was like there and I'm not interested in after the fact critiques of the thoughts and actions of the politicians of the day.

I have my personal facts and don't need pro or con spin.
 
Rexedgar said:
I lived through this. I served US Army 1972-1975, never left CONUS. Anyone else watching this PBS documentary? In about episode 3 or 4 there is a statement by a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine), the powers in the government had by 1965 identified that the conflict in Vietnam was unwinable, the Marine stated "that was a full three years before they sent me." The other thing that I was not aware of was the fact that Nixon kept the South Vietnamese reps away from the peace table until after his election to make his position seem stronger, costing untold US military deaths and wounds. I admit that I was brainwashed at the time. 'My country" would not knowingly lie to me! Bull crap! The lying has never stopped. The old always send the young and dumb to die for their causes. This is a well done film and I expected no less from the past work of Ken Burns.
Click to expand...

And that very comment is basically why I have no interest in watching it.Just think about what you have just said, it is a contradictory statement.

First, a claim that the war was unwinnable. OK, fine, some may have believed that, or at least told themselves that years afterwards.But the only problem was that we did win that war. You mention the Paris Peace Accords. Nixon wanted South Vietnam kept away? What, for 5 years? Because that is how long those talks lasted. And both North and South Vietnam walked away from the talks many times over those 5 years.

Sorry, but I had heard from other sources that Mr. Burns in this one was not going to keep his personal opinions to himself this time, and it seems that they were right.A well done film? Well, I guess if it is a film that lies to you but leaves you happy for reinforcing your own beliefs (even if wrong).
 
iliveonramen said:
Stuff like this is mind blowing. Thousands of soldiers were killed on Armistice Day during WWI. The leaders knew peace was close at hand but still allowed people to kill one another and die.
Click to expand...

Why are people repeating this over and over again?

Is like you have never seen peace talks break down before.
 
Oozlefinch said:
And that very comment is basically why I have no interest in watching it.Just think about what you have just said, it is a contradictory statement.

First, a claim that the war was unwinnable. OK, fine, some may have believed that, or at least told themselves that years afterwards.But the only problem was that we did win that war. You mention the Paris Peace Accords. Nixon wanted South Vietnam kept away? What, for 5 years? Because that is how long those talks lasted. And both North and South Vietnam walked away from the talks many times over those 5 years.

Sorry, but I had heard from other sources that Mr. Burns in this one was not going to keep his personal opinions to himself this time, and it seems that they were right.A well done film? Well, I guess if it is a film that lies to you but leaves you happy for reinforcing your own beliefs (even if wrong).
Click to expand...



Nothing to talk about here?!

PS We are also winning so much under the present administration, I'm getting tired, so much winning!
 
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Oozlefinch said:
Why are people repeating this over and over again?

Is like you have never seen peace talks break down before.
Click to expand...

Because it's a ridiculous concept that someone could be killed at 10:50 when an armistice is signed at 11:00. Or, 10,000 + people could die on the same day they would be dancing in no-mans land.
 
Same here I only had one tour Apr 67 Apr 68 and like you the memories are permanently etched in my brain. Right or wrong I am proud of my service and like every other vet I have ever met still believe we did our jobs.
 
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