Anyone Watching Ken Burns’ ‘Vietnam’?

[OldIslander]

Lots of ugly memories of the 60’s and early 70’s. Things I'd forgotten ...

- Nixon was a much worse SOB than Trump. LBJ believed Nixon committed treason during the ’68 campaign, but didn’t comment publicly in case it hurt the peace process.

- 30,000 Canadians volunteered and joined the US armed forces, to go to Vietnam. I wonder how they feel about it now?

- Jane Fonda... Just, wow...! I can’t believe her country has forgiven her.

- I got to know a number of draft dodgers at university in the early 70’s – hard to imagine the decision they had to make.

[lesliepaul]

Great program.

Hard to believe that parents back then encouraged their sons to enlist to fight this war. Redneck Republican families still do today..........because AMERICA IS GREAT!

HA!

[Catsumi]

I am watching it, and doesn't it just bring back all sorts of memories? Back then, I was a naive(maybe still?) 18year old who had no truck with the hippie movement, protestors and anti-war folk. Too busy working, obeying and paying taxes. I really believed back then that the USA government knew what it was doing and what they were doing was right!

Towards the ending after the death toll registered I changed sides. Years later, we are all a little wiser, or are we? Now we see street riots once again.

Why does my mind stay locked into those old images of barrels and barrels of Agent Orange being spewed over jungles and settlements? Sure, it cleared foliage interfering with overhead surveillance so that the VC were visible for bombing and ground attack, but what horrendous damage was left on the natural world? I think of all the animals, innocents, destroyed for what?

They are the totally forgotten ones.