Good read about the series (and Burns' war-docs and work in general):
Washington Post: Ken Burns' American War
Washington Post: Ken Burns' American War
The Vietnam War by Ken Burns on PBS
- Thread starter arobb
- Start date
Will have to tune in tomorrow. Regardless of which of his works I liked or thought wanting, I have always been mesmerized and impressed by the visual composition of it all, especially the time periods with little actual moving film or video and the way they work with the still shots so it isn't just static images.
overarching stuff about the war and the background of the country and the history of Ho Chi Minh (sp?) the person.
I guess I never realized the French were ever involved in Vietnam. Im totally shocked they screwed it up. (jimlad)
It is one again at 2 am, set your recording for first 20 minutes you missed. This is pretty awesome so far.
Being an old **** I knew all about the military defeat at Dien Bien Phu even though it was slightly before my time but the details of what went on between the end of WWII and the mid-1950's was pretty interesting to me. How we turned a struggle for independence from colonial rule into a showdown against communism is pretty messed up. I did find some of the background details on Ho Chi Minh to be a little eye opening even for guy of that time period.
Interesting that we got to hear the first applications of "light at the end of the tunnel" (French general) and "dominos" (Eisenhower) applied to Vietnam and both later became ubiquitous terms used by politicians and generals.
I know how President Diem's story ends, was very interesting to see how it started.
All and all, a great intro and start to this series.
/end rambling impression
Part 1: Englightening.
As with many Burns docs, the timeline begins much earlier than expected, and with good reason. I knew French colonialism was a key factor in the long lead-up, but I've never known many of the particulars, shared hatred of French occupation among the citizenry.
Several places in the narrative, I thought, "Ah, there's the crux..." ... By the end of part 1, my Crux-o-Meter probably was somewhere around 10.
---> I like the flash-forward scenes when it breaks from chronology to late-60s U.S.-specific firsthand recollections.
As with many Burns docs, the timeline begins much earlier than expected, and with good reason. I knew French colonialism was a key factor in the long lead-up, but I've never known many of the particulars, shared hatred of French occupation among the citizenry.
Several places in the narrative, I thought, "Ah, there's the crux..." ... By the end of part 1, my Crux-o-Meter probably was somewhere around 10.
---> I like the flash-forward scenes when it breaks from chronology to late-60s U.S.-specific firsthand recollections.
Among many "I did not know that" moments: That Ho Chi Minh once made a speech channeling Thomas Jefferson.
I can't watch all right now but I hope this is easy to find and watch later.
The 60's is definitely a time before mine that I'd like to go back and experience. Not that all was ever that great in many decades, the coverage along with what was going on in the USA just looks like a bubble bursting.
The 60's is definitely a time before mine that I'd like to go back and experience. Not that all was ever that great in many decades, the coverage along with what was going on in the USA just looks like a bubble bursting.
Here's the schedule with episode summaries.
http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/in...a_mesmerizing_masterpiece_from_ken_burns.html
http://www.cleveland.com/tv-blog/in...a_mesmerizing_masterpiece_from_ken_burns.html
I like the historical photos and videos he seems to dig up when doing these docs. Who would have guessed Hanoi has significant French architecture ?
