Ken Burns series "Vietnam" on PBS

[googily]

I am.

Me too, though I wonder if they felt constrained by how some 1960s songs are already so associated with other offerings?

I keep expecting to hear "The End" by the Doors, but after Apocalypse Now, can you use it again?

(Also, was it an episode of the Simpsons where a news retrospective of the 1960s made note of the overuse of Purple Haze when looking back?)

 

[braumeister]

As Hermann Goering (of all people) reminded us, it is a universal phenomenon.

Brings to mind an earlier quote from H. L. Mencken:

... the whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Me too, though I wonder if they felt constrained by how some 1960s songs are already so associated with other offerings?

I keep expecting to hear "The End" by the Doors, but after Apocalypse Now, can you use it again?

(Also, was it an episode of the Simpsons where a news retrospective of the 1960s made note of the overuse of Purple Haze when looking back?)

It appears to me they are using the popular songs of the specific time frame of the particular episode, so if they were to play "The End" by the Doors, it likely would be in tonight's episode--which likely covers late 1967 to 1969. Last night's episode covered early 1966 to mid-1967 of the Vietnam War ... er, conflict, so there were Simon & Garfunkle and other songs of that time period heard.

I read recently that some musical acts that usually are very protective of their catalog, and rarely grant permission to use their actual original recordings (vs. covers of their songs) in movies, on TV, etc., like The Beatles and Bob Dylan, jumped on board for this Vietnam series. That's why we are hearing the original recordings.

 

[ivinsfan]

I'm taping to watch later.

So my dad was a Korean War vet but the Vietnam war was a major arguing point in my childhood home as my mom was a civil rights attorney and despised the fact that my dad served his country, was wounded and recieved the silver star and had to return home to a segregated city.


lol, let's just say there were many "heated" conversations....

I admit I never knew much about it except for the vets took much of the brunt of the countrys anger.

Sliver Star that's an impressive award. I for one am grateful for your Dad's service.

 

[braumeister]

Sliver Star that's an impressive award. I for one am grateful for your Dad's service.

Yes, you must be extremely proud of him.

 

[48Fire]

Tonight the new 10 part series on Vietnam war, produced by Ken Burns, will air on PBS at 8pm ET ( here)...

I think it will run ten consecutive nights.....

FYI in case anyone planned to watch and didn't realize it starts tonight.....

Thanks for posting this. I just finished a book on Viet Nam, but this is much more informative.

My wife has seen enough, though, and even if she is not paying attention, she can't help but catch a few sad scenes or comments. Tonight, she is heading to the Florida Room, book in tow.

I feel terrible for all those affected by this war. I can't imagine what it was like. Somehow, it seemed like a good idea at the time, but it became a political nightmare for our country.

I was only aware of the war as a kid. I was 9 years old when the Kent State shootings occurred, just a few miles from home. A brief curfew, but other than that, it was something I learned as history.

That said, I will watch it all, as it is pretty gripping.

 

[audreyh1]

I found it on my PBS app on my Apple TV. You have a choice between the "explicit" version or the "broadcast" version. Looks like all episodes are available already for streaming.

Hmmm - I guess I'll have to watch the "explicit" version.

 

[Derslickmeister]

I've been watching it, I think it is excellent. I grew up in fear of being sent to Vietnam. Thankfully the draft was resended before I became of age, I grew up with the whoop, whoop, whoop of Huey's training 24-7 at our local airport. My next door neighbors son was lost, I still remimnber the brass coming to the door with the news...

 

[bclover]

Yes, you must be extremely proud of him.

lol, I think like most kids he was just "dad". unfortunately pops was one of those guys who couldn't figure out how to use a hamper so my mom use to always tease him...

"how is it possible that you fought off an platoon of enemy combatants and yet cannot figure out a clothes hamper."

they were married 42 years

Here's the write up. my oldest brother has the original

 

[googily]

I found it on my PBS app on my Apple TV. You have a choice between the "explicit" version or the "broadcast" version. Looks like all episodes are available already for streaming.

Hmmm - I guess I'll have to watch the "explicit" version.

I'm guessing the explicit version is just without bleeps for the swearing.

 

[Calico]

lol, I think like most kids he was just "dad". unfortunately pops was one of those guys who couldn't figure out how to use a hamper so my mom use to always tease him...

"how is it possible that you fought off an platoon of enemy combatants and yet cannot figure out a clothes hamper."

they were married 42 years

Here's the write up. my oldest brother has the original

Wow. Your father was a hell of a man.

 

[audreyh1]

So first thing I hear is the whop whop of those Huey blades during the intro!

You know - that's part of my real life now. The National Border Patrol flies reconditioned Huey IIs, and there is one that started patrolling here over a year ago. The first time I heard it - whop, whop, whop - I had a flashback to the MASH set!

 

[FlaGator]

lol, I think like most kids he was just "dad". unfortunately pops was one of those guys who couldn't figure out how to use a hamper so my mom use to always tease him...



"how is it possible that you fought off an platoon of enemy combatants and yet cannot figure out a clothes hamper."



they were married 42 years



Here's the write up. my oldest brother has the original

Amazing man. Would say from reading your posts over time that his spirit and character made it to the next generation. .

Hope it's made it at least one more generation to your sons. Would bet heavy it has

 

[Sunset]

I found it on my PBS app on my Apple TV. You have a choice between the "explicit" version or the "broadcast" version. Looks like all episodes are available already for streaming.

Hmmm - I guess I'll have to watch the "explicit" version.

When I was about 14, a friend and I went into a theater to watch a movie of news reels on Vietnam. It was incredibly explicit, with legs blown off and all sorts of stuff including a birthing scene by some Vietnam woman in some village.

We stayed and watched it again as none of that stuff was on the tv.

 

[LRDave]

The next episode is on the Tet offensive. I listened to "Fresh Air" some yesterday and Ken Burns & Lynn Novak were the guests and talking about the Vietnam series.


From this I learned they will be talking about and showing "the picture". (Famous AP photo of a Viet Kong being executed....) I did not realize this event was televised and they will also be showing what was shown on television.


I am not sure I am up to facing this. That photo has haunted me - as I am sure it has many others.


I may have to look away/leave the room for a bit. Or I may skip this one.

 

[googily]

The next episode is on the Tet offensive. I listened to "Fresh Air" some yesterday and Ken Burns & Lynn Novak were the guests and talking about the Vietnam series.


From this I learned they will be talking about and showing "the picture". (Famous AP photo of a Viet Kong being executed....) I did not realize this event was televised and they will also be showing what was shown on television.


I am not sure I am up to facing this. That photo has haunted me - as I am sure it has many others.


I may have to look away/leave the room for a bit. Or I may skip this one.

Right, there wasn't just a still photo--there is film of the entire execution. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

 

[audreyh1]

Well DH refuses to watch. He remembers all too well the relentless nightly news coverage all while he was in high school.

I guess I'll be watching on my own.

 

[chris2008]

Here in Germany it was broadcasted by a french/german TV station on 3 evenings, 3 hours each.
We, DH being a retired teacher of history + politics, made sure not to miss anything.
We remembered the evening news when we grew up.
Watching it we could not stop discussing similar and different situations all over.

 

[Sunset]

Well DH refuses to watch. ......

I guess I'll be watching on my own.

I have the same problem with DW, and of course it's hard to find some alone time.

 

[audreyh1]

I have the same problem with DW, and of course it's hard to find some alone time.

DH has plenty of outdoors activity, so I'll have opportunities. I'm streaming so I can watch anytime and even on my iPad if I decide to.

 

[brett]

I think it is very well done. I can well remember the nightly news coverage. Plus, I worked with several draft dodgers who left the country.

It is interesting for us because we recently spent a month in Vietnam and two weeks in Cambodia. Got some interesting comments and got to see their perspective on it. In the rear view mirror of course.

 

[audreyh1]

I missed the nightly news coverage as I was overseas with no TV. But my Dad did get Newsweek and I read it voraciously even as a young teen/pre-teen.

Later (but still young adult) I read several books about the war, including a huge one* as I remember, and grasped some of the history and big picture. So it will be interesting to see this even though it's been decades since I read the books.

*Maybe that was the Stanley Karnow book. I think I also read "The Best and the Brightest".

 

[Eagle43]

I was sent to Danang AB in August 1966 for a year. Rocket City it was called. It deserved the name.

The internet tells me there are 4 star hotels now in Danang. I would never have imagined that while sleeping in a tent most of my year there.

I think Burns series is well done. I also am appalled that LBJ and JFK were dishonest with the public about the war. And not to get political, I consider McNamara the worst Defense Secretary we've ever had. Ditto to General Westmoreland. There are thousands of names on the Vietnam wall who got there as a direct result of decisions made by these 4 leaders.

I'd like to go back and stay in one of those hotels.

 

[googily]

I know at least five people who have traveled to Vietnam in recent years (and this doesn't include Anthony Bourdain ) who rave about it, and in particular how nice the Vietnamese people are.

 

[Nemo2]

in particular how nice the Vietnamese people are.

We have Vietnamese friends we ran into on two separate cruises......and with whom we still maintain contact......42 year residents of Houston......next time, (and with luck there'll be a next time), we're on board together I'll have to raise the topic.