The Vietnam war BBC4
Discussion
marcosgt said:
Did I miss something? The hirsute helicopter man was a gunner, not a pilot, wasn't he?
Are people talking about someone else?
M
Was a crew chief in a scout helicopter so was a gunner as well Are people talking about someone else?
M
marcosgt said:
I watched it now and then.
It was a fairly decent attempt to make a drama about the Vietnam War.
The Michael J Fox/Sean Penn film "Casualties of War" is obviously based on the incident mentioned in the recent episode (About the young woman raped and killed over a few days by US soldiers).
M
Theres a book out about the Tiger Force called Tiger Force if youre interested in thatIt was a fairly decent attempt to make a drama about the Vietnam War.
The Michael J Fox/Sean Penn film "Casualties of War" is obviously based on the incident mentioned in the recent episode (About the young woman raped and killed over a few days by US soldiers).
M
My copy of Thud Ridge has arrived today.
Should be interesting. Apparently it caused a bit of a stink at the time due to its criticism of the strategy used.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thud_Ridge_(book)
If you like Vietnam books, one of the interviewees on the TV series is Karl Marlantes (smart, composed, bearded chap).
It took him 35 years to get his thoughts down on paper to publish "Matterhorn".
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Matterhorn-Karl-Marlantes...
It's quite a book.
Should be interesting. Apparently it caused a bit of a stink at the time due to its criticism of the strategy used.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thud_Ridge_(book)
If you like Vietnam books, one of the interviewees on the TV series is Karl Marlantes (smart, composed, bearded chap).
It took him 35 years to get his thoughts down on paper to publish "Matterhorn".
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Matterhorn-Karl-Marlantes...
It's quite a book.
Max_Torque said:
I've just bought another copy of ChickenHawk to replace my original (1983) one i lent to an (ex) friend and never got back! ;-)
Did the same approx 6 months ago, it's still as powerful IMOHe did a follow on book "Chickenhawk back in the world-life after Vietnam" Has anyone read it?
Janluke said:
Did the same approx 6 months ago, it's still as powerful IMO
He did a follow on book "Chickenhawk back in the world-life after Vietnam" Has anyone read it?
I’ve got a copy of “back in the world”.He did a follow on book "Chickenhawk back in the world-life after Vietnam" Has anyone read it?
It’s very good, although not a patch on the first if stood alone.
It tells his story about his downward, amateurish, attempts at drug smuggling and his incarceration for it where he starts to be very famous as his first book is published.
I got it off eBay from the States a few years ago.
stuartmmcfc said:
I’ve got a copy of “back in the world”.
It’s very good, although not a patch on the first if stood alone.
It tells his story about his downward, amateurish, attempts at drug smuggling and his incarceration for it where he starts to be very famous as his first book is published.
I got it off eBay from the States a few years ago.
Mason seems to suffer the classic veteran's downward spiral after the war. I'm so glad he was able to write about it and make some sense and value from the experience, I'm sure plenty didn't.It’s very good, although not a patch on the first if stood alone.
It tells his story about his downward, amateurish, attempts at drug smuggling and his incarceration for it where he starts to be very famous as his first book is published.
I got it off eBay from the States a few years ago.
What gets me, and this is taking nothing away from him, was that he was only sent on a single tour. But must have been incredibly intense and stressful (running 1000 missions?) seeing things that nobody should see, which affected him for life.
Makes you think of the impact on those sent for multiple combat tours, and worst of all, the Vietnamese, who had no escape and had to live through this for all those years. I think Captain Willard says something about this in Apocalypse now, that Charlie's R&R is squatting in the jungle with a handful of rice or somesuch...
It's great this war has been documented in such a way, but it seems like nobody has learned from it Perhaps the human condition is so violent, this is inevitable to return over and over.
Watched some of the PBS original series. The BBC abridged version is well edited, you do miss some of the commentators, but conveys it well. You can watch the full explicit version on the PBS website, if you use a US proxy.
I have a dual interest in the Vietnam war, we have an ex-Huey crew chief in the family, along with many friends and close family who fought in another war, which mirrored Vietnam closely. The futility, conflicted morality, patriotism, conscription, conscription avoidance and long term psychological effects is very familiar.
I have a dual interest in the Vietnam war, we have an ex-Huey crew chief in the family, along with many friends and close family who fought in another war, which mirrored Vietnam closely. The futility, conflicted morality, patriotism, conscription, conscription avoidance and long term psychological effects is very familiar.
prand said:
Mason seems to suffer the classic veteran's downward spiral after the war. I'm so glad he was able to write about it and make some sense and value from the experience, I'm sure plenty didn't.
What gets me, and this is taking nothing away from him, was that he was only sent on a single tour. But must have been incredibly intense and stressful (running 1000 missions?) seeing things that nobody should see, which affected him for life.
Makes you think of the impact on those sent for multiple combat tours, and worst of all, the Vietnamese, who had no escape and had to live through this for all those years. I think Captain Willard says something about this in Apocalypse now, that Charlie's R&R is squatting in the jungle with a handful of rice or somesuch...
It's great this war has been documented in such a way, but it seems like nobody has learned from it Perhaps the human condition is so violent, this is inevitable to return over and over.
Great line by Nixon in the first of this week's.What gets me, and this is taking nothing away from him, was that he was only sent on a single tour. But must have been incredibly intense and stressful (running 1000 missions?) seeing things that nobody should see, which affected him for life.
Makes you think of the impact on those sent for multiple combat tours, and worst of all, the Vietnamese, who had no escape and had to live through this for all those years. I think Captain Willard says something about this in Apocalypse now, that Charlie's R&R is squatting in the jungle with a handful of rice or somesuch...
It's great this war has been documented in such a way, but it seems like nobody has learned from it Perhaps the human condition is so violent, this is inevitable to return over and over.
"When a US President can't go on visits overseas for fear of violent protest, it's time for a change of leadership"
He might have been a crook (probably no worse than most others though, he just got caught!) and talking about a Democrat, but his words seem very prophetic!
M
marcosgt said:
prand said:
Mason seems to suffer the classic veteran's downward spiral after the war. I'm so glad he was able to write about it and make some sense and value from the experience, I'm sure plenty didn't.
What gets me, and this is taking nothing away from him, was that he was only sent on a single tour. But must have been incredibly intense and stressful (running 1000 missions?) seeing things that nobody should see, which affected him for life.
Makes you think of the impact on those sent for multiple combat tours, and worst of all, the Vietnamese, who had no escape and had to live through this for all those years. I think Captain Willard says something about this in Apocalypse now, that Charlie's R&R is squatting in the jungle with a handful of rice or somesuch...
It's great this war has been documented in such a way, but it seems like nobody has learned from it Perhaps the human condition is so violent, this is inevitable to return over and over.
Great line by Nixon in the first of this week's.What gets me, and this is taking nothing away from him, was that he was only sent on a single tour. But must have been incredibly intense and stressful (running 1000 missions?) seeing things that nobody should see, which affected him for life.
Makes you think of the impact on those sent for multiple combat tours, and worst of all, the Vietnamese, who had no escape and had to live through this for all those years. I think Captain Willard says something about this in Apocalypse now, that Charlie's R&R is squatting in the jungle with a handful of rice or somesuch...
It's great this war has been documented in such a way, but it seems like nobody has learned from it Perhaps the human condition is so violent, this is inevitable to return over and over.
"When a US President can't go on visits overseas for fear of violent protest, it's time for a change of leadership"
He might have been a crook (probably no worse than most others though, he just got caught!) and talking about a Democrat, but his words seem very prophetic!
M
DId the BBC version cover the part about Nixon using the South Vietnam government to influence the US election, by convincing them to temporarily not attend the negotiations in Paris ?
Nixon convinced the S vietnam government by promising them a better deal post election, he would be more anti-communist than LBJ. LBJ knew about the deal, due to FBI and CIA phone intercepts (something Nixon took to a whole new level when president) but LBJ could not let it be known due to the legality of the intercepts. Shadows of the recent US election.
Nixon convinced the S vietnam government by promising them a better deal post election, he would be more anti-communist than LBJ. LBJ knew about the deal, due to FBI and CIA phone intercepts (something Nixon took to a whole new level when president) but LBJ could not let it be known due to the legality of the intercepts. Shadows of the recent US election.
Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Tuesday 17th October 11:31
QuantumTokoloshi said:
DId the BBC version cover the part about Nixon using the South Vietnam government to influence the US election, by convincing them to temporarily not attend the negotiations in Paris ?
Nixon convinced the S vietnam government by promising them a better deal post election, he would be more anti-communist than LBJ. LBJ knew about the deal, due to FBI and CIA phone intercepts (something Nixon took to a whole new level when president) but LBJ could not let it be known due to the legality of the intercepts. Shadows of the recent US election.
Just watched it, yes.Nixon convinced the S vietnam government by promising them a better deal post election, he would be more anti-communist than LBJ. LBJ knew about the deal, due to FBI and CIA phone intercepts (something Nixon took to a whole new level when president) but LBJ could not let it be known due to the legality of the intercepts. Shadows of the recent US election.
Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Tuesday 17th October 11:31
Obviously more important he got into office than lives were saved
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