Vietnam - The Ten Thousand Day War

Starring:Richard Basehart, Ellsworth Bunker, Clark Clifford, William Colby (II), David Dellinger, Daniel Ellsberg, John Ehrlichman, J. William Fulbright, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Harris (VIII), Alexander Haig, Brian Jenkins, Robert Komer, Melvin Laird, Henry Cabot Lodge, Eugene McCarthy (III), Tom McClure, Jack McCloskey, Van Thieu Nguyen, Tim O'Brien (VIII)
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The military, political, and social repercussions of the Vietnam War continue to be felt, in the ways in which it altered the landscape of American life forever. Written by CNN correspondent Peter Arnett, the 13 episodes of Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War trace the entire course of the conflict, from the closing days of World War II when Ho Chi Minh first began to assemble his revolutionary army, to the fall of Saigon in 1975. Documentary filmmaking simply doesn't get much better than this. With extensive archival footage shot by both sides and interviews with participants ranging from infantry soldiers to diplomats, Vietnam has a detached, journalistic objectivity and fairness throughout. It would be much easier to understand the war if it were possible to lay the blame at the feet of the French, or Kennedy, Johnson, or Nixon, but the war's progress was never that clear-cut. Rather, it was a slippery slope that inexorably led to thousands of deaths and laid waste to the country of Vietnam. Unlike WWII, there were no heroes' welcomes for Vietnam's returning GI's; more often than not, they were met with silence or outright contempt. The series' final chapter explores their struggles in readjusting to normal life in society. The somber tone of Richard Basehart's narration is a perfect match for the gravity of the subject matter. This two-DVD boxed set is essential watching for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Vietnam War and all its ramifications, and should be required viewing for history classes. --Jerry Renshaw
Description
The real story behind the longest, most controversial war in modern history. Known as history's first "living room war," the Vietnam conflict is presented in this nearly 10-hour documentary with clarity, authority, and insight, complete on 2 DVDs. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Peter Arnett and narrated by Richard Basehart (Moby Dick, La Strada), Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War covers the entire conflict, examining the shifting attitudes of the United States toward Vietnam from 1945, when the battleground was known as French Indochina, to 1975, when Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese. This superb award-winning series of programs re-examines without blame or judgment the rise and fall of America's 20-year commitment to the war in Vietnam. Forceful and evocative, with film clips shot by both sides, it revisits the time and place that molded a generation and changed the course of American politics forever.

Vietnam - The Ten Thousand Day War
Average customer rating:

One of the Best Documentaries of the War

A Historical Documentary

I Never Looked At This Series As Being Biased

Very Comprehensive, But Not Without Bias

Email the folks at Image Entertainment!

Vietnam - The Ten Thousand Day War
Starring: Richard Basehart , Ellsworth Bunker , Clark Clifford , William Colby (II) , and David Dellinger
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

National Geographic - Vietnam's Unseen War - Pictures from the Other Side

ASIN: 6305873461
Release Date: 2000-06-20

Amazon.com

The military, political, and social repercussions of the Vietnam War continue to be felt, in the ways in which it altered the landscape of American life forever. Written by CNN correspondent Peter Arnett, the 13 episodes of Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War trace the entire course of the conflict, from the closing days of World War II when Ho Chi Minh first began to assemble his revolutionary army, to the fall of Saigon in 1975. Documentary filmmaking simply doesn't get much better than this. With extensive archival footage shot by both sides and interviews with participants ranging from infantry soldiers to diplomats, Vietnam has a detached, journalistic objectivity and fairness throughout. It would be much easier to understand the war if it were possible to lay the blame at the feet of the French, or Kennedy, Johnson, or Nixon, but the war's progress was never that clear-cut. Rather, it was a slippery slope that inexorably led to thousands of deaths and laid waste to the country of Vietnam. Unlike WWII, there were no heroes' welcomes for Vietnam's returning GI's; more often than not, they were met with silence or outright contempt. The series' final chapter explores their struggles in readjusting to normal life in society. The somber tone of Richard Basehart's narration is a perfect match for the gravity of the subject matter. This two-DVD boxed set is essential watching for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Vietnam War and all its ramifications, and should be required viewing for history classes. --Jerry Renshaw

Description

The real story behind the longest, most controversial war in modern history. Known as history's first "living room war," the Vietnam conflict is presented in this nearly 10-hour documentary with clarity, authority, and insight, complete on 2 DVDs. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Peter Arnett and narrated by Richard Basehart (Moby Dick, La Strada), Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War covers the entire conflict, examining the shifting attitudes of the United States toward Vietnam from 1945, when the battleground was known as French Indochina, to 1975, when Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese. This superb award-winning series of programs re-examines without blame or judgment the rise and fall of America's 20-year commitment to the war in Vietnam. Forceful and evocative, with film clips shot by both sides, it revisits the time and place that molded a generation and changed the course of American politics forever.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Documentaries of the War.......2007-01-28

This documentary is very thoughtful, balanced, well writtten and narrated account of America's misadventure in Vietnam. It was made when many of the participants were still alive and within just a few years of the end of the war. Not only do Americans tell their side of the story but NVA soldiers, politicians and Generals. It comes across as a much more balanced view of the war than the PBS "Vietnam A Television History."
The narration by Richard Basehart is interesting and dispassionate. The purpose I believe, by the producers was to present an unbiased account of the war from both perspectives. They are successful.
It is a pity that this series is not available on DVD. It is quite a gem.

A Historical Documentary.......2006-07-08

This is by far the most accurate accounting of the history and US involvement in Vietnam that I've seen. This series has far more detail than "Vietnam A Television History" and the facts are verifiable.

Whether John Carlson (review below) agrees or not, the US was indeed trying to force it's will upon the people of Vietnam. The US instigated the separation of the country of Indochina (Vietnam) as an attempt to keep a presence at China's and the USSR's back door.

Excellent documentary.

I Never Looked At This Series As Being Biased .......2006-05-06

This is one of best war documentaries ever made (I place it tied or at least close to "The World At War"). I would seriously think of purchasing it because it's being shown in chopped up episodes full of commercials on TV now. Why do I think it's so good? It was made just 5 years after the end of the American involvement so all the major characters were still alive to be interviewed. The Vietnam War was the most filmed war ever to that time so the documentary is able to take advantage of all the film (mostly in color). Lastly, Richard Basehart's narrative voice is as distinguished as James Earl Jones. I never perceived a bias politically on the series, (I lean heavily to the right on foreign affairs), and I think although the war was a tactical loss, it helped win the cold war so it was a strategic win (the east could not provide the basic necessities of life while competing with the west's war machine output). Still, just reading now that Peter Arnett wrote this series makes me pause, but if any war deserved Peter Arnett's input I guess this one would. Maybe it's not being re-released because Arnett has "jumped the shark" and has been totally discredited as an objective journalist. It's a shame because there isn't anything on the Vietnam War that comes close to this series quality and historical reference. To all you American (and Allied) Vietnam Vets, God Bless You Brothers and Sisters, I salute you!

Very Comprehensive, But Not Without Bias.......2005-12-08

This is one of the most thorough, comprehensive video treatments of the long Vietnam War. The series begins with an overview of the set, which is helpful to those unfamiliar with the conflict. The next 11 chapters cover the post-World War II French occupation and the fall of Dien Bien Phu through the 1975 fall of Saigon (i.e., 30 years, or 10,000 days). Along the way, we see video footage from both sides of the Ho Chi Minh trail, the firepower used by both sides, the effects of the war on the American public, and the sad evacuation of Saigon. This is followed by a video giving the perspective of soldiers who fought in the war.

The set includes an impressive number of interviews from important actors like US Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker, Gen. William Westmoreland, South Vietnamese Presidents Thieu and Ky, North Vietnamese officials, many anti-war activists, and ordinary soldiers. The 13 chapters (on five tapes, at least in my Discovery channel version) provide a thorough overview of the conflict. The footage is often rare and always riveting. Richard Basehart narrates with the right amount of authority.

This is probably the most balanced of the video series out there, although that may be damning it with faint praise. The reason I deducted a star from what otherwise would be a five-star series is that like many discussions of this conflict, it is framed by the point of view that the Vietnam war was essentially a nationalistic struggle against imperialism and the North Vietnamese simply had more "will to fight." In this telling, the American government and the South Vietnamese (including ARVN) seem to be in a race to the bottom as to who would give up first.

What is not emphasized here is the enormous support given the North Vietnamese by the Soviets -- the only Russian we see is Kosygin, at Ho's funeral. We are not shown the many who fled south as Ho took power; the tens of thousands who crossed over from the Viet Cong to support the South Vietnamese government; and the horror inflicted on villagers who resisted attempts to force them to work for the North Vietnamese side. No footage is shown of the "re-education camps," where hundreds of thousands were sent, nor of the "boat people" who fled for their lives, even though this series was made in 1980, when these events were already known. The series does not adequately cover the difference in strategy and tactics when Westmoreland was replaced by Creighton Abrams or point out that the new strategy was actually working. This series was tailored to support a certain point of view.

Nevertheless, if balanced by books like "A Better War," by Lewis Sorley, this is an indispensable addition to anyone's collection of Vietnam War studies.

Email the folks at Image Entertainment!.......2004-08-20

I love this series. I teach at the college level and desperately want my students to see this! I was too broke to buy the DVD series the first time now I cannot find it anywhere. When is it going to be re-released? Does anyone know anything? Where to write the distribution company perhaps?

The folks at Image Entertainment own the rights to this series and have told me they have no plans to re-release it. If you want it re-released find their web-page (just put Image Entertainment in your search engine) and email them and let them hear from you! Its the only way to get them to understand how badly people want this re-released. Otherwise I fear it is lost to history.

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