Ken Burns is a terrific producer of documentary series. I particularly liked his series on the Civil War.
I wish there were more here who are watching this series. I have seen two episodes over this past two nights on PBS. It continues tomorrow night.
Miss Margo, I watched the first episode-excellent! I love Ken Burns, he's an amazing documentarian. The Civil War is a masterpiece. I haven't had time to go on to watch the rest but I'll try catching up in a few weeks or so. Can you believe that an American doctor saved Ho Chi Min's life during WWII? I need to rewatch it though, I missed a lot of the explanation of French Colonialism. That WWII period is sort of confusing. Maybe those questions were answered in part 2 and I haven't seen it yet, so...
shareGlad to know I am not watching all alone!
shareThe first five eps. have been great. It's going to be interesting to see if the series can maintain its feeling of comprehensiveness and relative equanimity when the **** really starts to hit the fan in ep. 6.
sharetoo depressing for me to watch
sharehownos, We never should have been involved in that situation in the first place. The fact that so many American men were sent there is depressing to even think about.
This documentary series puts so much of this into perspective. It may be depressing, but it is educational.
It may be depressing, but it is educational.More than that I'd say, at least if you are an American. The series really is an opportunity for all Americans to get on the same page about something that still divides and distorts the country. Perhaps it can be the start of getting more on the same page - agreeing on the same set of facts - about other issues. Every American (and interested outsider such as myself) *should* watch the series. share
Watching the docu right now. Lots of key points that Americans can learn to take.
-There is no winners or losers. There is only destruction. Only those who have never fought like to argue about who won and who lost.
-Never underestimate the enemy. French commander committed suicide after over estimating the enemy with his praise of too many weapons and then lost the airstrip. I see so many Americans saying they can wipe anyone out except they've never won the wars they've recently fought. Still there to this day in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria (sidelines), North-West Pakistan, Yemeni, and maybe a few more secret ones.
We haven't won because we're too nice. We care about the lives of civilians and at least attempt to minimize collateral damage. It's hard to fight an insurgency in a situation like that, when it's not conventional warfare where your enemy will meet you on the battlefield.
If we really wanted to win and were willing to be assholes about it, we could just carpet bomb the whole country and call it a day. Maybe drop a couple of nukes. Just go through and make sure anything that's alive within their borders isn't alive anymore.
But of course we're not going to go that route because we're nicer than that.
It wasn't about being nice.....it was about escalation. They said it in the documentary, going too far would risk the Chinese having a greater role, or involving the Russian military. They already had 350,000 Chinese troops in the north (which I never knew). How hard would it be for them to just march south?
Carpet bombing the whole country would lose any sense of righteousness....not to mention using nukes.
Sure, I don't disagree.
i was just making the point that we could win just about any war we ever got involved in, that is, if we were willing to be ruthless enough to cast morality aside. (I am not saying we should do that.)
If we ever struggle in warfare it's because we choose to fight in a relatively fair and humane way, not because we don't have the capabilities to obliterate our enemies.
You might find though that if you carpet bombed a whole country ,let alone nuked it , that the rest of the world might:
a) do "sanctions" and cut off all trade leading to economic collapse
b) just invade , figuring the country / gov gone nuts! which might lead to nuclear exchanges and again , everyone loses
Yes it's very good. Plus as a bonus, it has music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, aka Nine Inch Nails, my favorite! (Also now Oscar winners)
shareI have been watching this since the first night. Tonight is the last night..... After that I may just go through serious withdrawal!
I practically lost it last night while looking at the footage of those POWs coming home on the plane. I actually wept! Of course, Ray Charles in the background singing America enhanced the emotions!
I would LOVE to have the entire sound track of the series. Such great music!
I have learned so much from this series...... so much corruption on so many levels.