Anyone Else Watching the Ken Burns/Lynn Novick Documentary on Vietnam?

[ibleedburgundy]

It's pretty well done. Lots of personal stories and perspectives from both sides. I've read a lot but it tends to be all from American perspectives. My Dad was there but we never talk about it in depth.

I am on the 3rd episode (out of 10). The thing that sticks out is watching American leaders get themselves deeper and deeper into it. Their predictions were terrible. Their objectives were unclear. Their intelligence was bad. Their understanding of regional politics was poor.

The way Lyndon Johnson talked about the war in his private communications is casual, careless, simplistic, overtly concerned about politics instead of what should have really mattered. A massively overrated President IMO.

 

[garww]

There is a lot of history mangling going on. Over the Centuries.

I'd say the key word in your post is " intelligence". Anyway, that war might of been in South America : )

Lyndon Johnson really wanted things. Sorry, I never saw him as well rated. For me, I never saw the Communist Threat to the USA. hahah. After Kennedy, it was seeming the threats domestic, and I don't think that has changed

 

[Mick Doobie]

I've watched every episode thus far. Heavy shit. I think last night's episode was '69-'70, tonight "70-"73.

I think McNamara had come forward later and said he was doubtful the war could be won, and expressed concerns to Johnson. A cursory listen to the tapes may seem to contradict that claim, but a closer listen might suggest otherwise. Johnson was a hard ass, one must tread lightly, I reckon.

 

[Robus]

I'm interested but will wait until I can watch the whole series on my own schedule.

 

[garww]

Come on guys, that was no fuckin' war. That was racketeering of the Empire scale. There will never be any righteous justification for these things

 

[ibleedburgundy]

Lyndon Johnson really wanted things. Sorry, I never saw him as well rated.

Here's a list of over a dozen rankings done by historians (some more legit than others - scroll down to see the chart). His absolute lowest ranking is 18th - which still puts him above average. Most have him in the 12-15 range.

Historical rankings of presidents of the United States - Wikipedia

Whatever it is they see in him, I don't.

Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, John Adams, Bill Clinton, Barrack Obama, James Madison, John Quincy Adams - to me these guys are all easily above Johnson.

Historians also have a hard on for Andrew Jackson - which boggles my mind. I've read a lot about him. He seems like one of the biggest assholes of all time.

Maybe I should make my own ranking.

 

[ez_willis]

Come on guys, that was no fuckin' war. That was racketeering of the Empire scale. There will never be any righteous justification for these things

The Vietnam Racketeering of the Empire Scale isn't a marketable title. Sorry. It's the Vietnam War because it flows off the tongue better.

 

[ibleedburgundy]

I've watched every episode thus far. Heavy shit. I think last night's episode was '69-'70, tonight "70-"73.

I think McNamara had come forward later and said he was doubtful the war could be won, and expressed concerns to Johnson. A cursory listen to the tapes may seem to contradict that claim, but a closer listen might suggest otherwise. Johnson was a hard ass, one must tread lightly, I reckon.

Johnson fired McNamara after McNamara (basically) told him the war was futile. McNamara himself was slow to realize it, and when he did he dragged his feet while sending young men to their deaths. Ultimately the responsibility is Johnson's though. Johnson also skipped his CIA intelligence briefings for Months on end once they started reporting that he was screwing up.

He was a 'shoot the messenger' type of President. Ugh.

 

[garww]

My fellow Americans. Hay, I need to put up some numbers

might as well toss this in;
YouTube

 

[andrushkiwt]

I'm interested but will wait until I can watch the whole series on my own schedule.

Same.

 

[Robus]

My fellow Americans. Hay, I need to put up some numbers
...
might as well toss this in;
YouTube

Interesting mix, that. A number of Doors songs are mixed with drums on one side, guitars on the other. Sounds pretty cool actually. The noodling guitar solos, not so much...

 

[arcaxis]

I arrived in country January 1968 at the start of the Tet Offensive. Was at Tan Son Nhut AB (Saigon) for six months doing communications installs and repairs. I kind of want to watch the Ken Burns series, but haven't had the time when it's been on. Hoping it makes its way to Netflix or Amazon so I can watch it. Amazon does have the DVD for $60.

Had watch duty several times in early morning hours on a second floor barracks balcony and captured some flare drops and Huey Cobra mini-gun tracer rounds. Also the barracks where we lived, which was a whole lot better than many over there had.

 

[andrushkiwt]

Also the barracks where we lived, which was a whole lot better than many over there had.

More pics! These are great man.