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 enlarge | Actors: Everett Alvarez, George Ball, Dai Bao, Herbert Bluechel, Charles Henri Bonfils
Studio: Wgbh Boston
Category: Video
List Price: $99.95
Buy Used: $29.90
You Save: $70.05 (70%)
Used (4) from $29.90
Rating:  40 reviews
Sales Rank: 17685
Format: Box Set, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Vietnamese (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 7
Running Time: 780
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 6304462522
UPC: 783421261037
EAN: 9786304462522
ASIN: 6304462522
Theatrical Release Date: October 4, 1983
Release Date: March 28, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Obvious anti-American bias but good combat footage March 18, 2007
7 out of 25 found this review helpful
Those of you that might suspect that a glowing NY Times endorsement would ineluctably imply a pleasingly treasonous grossly anti-American bias and that claims to "balanced" reporting accords every sympathy and benefit of the doubt to the enemy will most definitely not be disappointed. Needless to say the "peace accord" that gave the North Vietnamese carte blanch to wage a unrestricted terminal war against the SOL South Vietnamese is accorded its usual high praise. Ironically enough President Johnson is the embattled sympathetic patriot juxtaposed to the compliant Nixon complicit with Congressional cowards who shamefully desserted our ally to the mass murders, tortures and other heinous barbarities of the communist dictator "liberators". Its truely one of the most disgusting chapters in American history. This along with the near defeat but ultimate celebrated stalemate in the Korean War marks the beginning of perversion of American values wherein treason is patriotism, cowardice is bravery, moral fatigue is virtue, weakness is strength, and defeat is victory.
Nonetheless the combat footage is interesting, depicts the undeniable brutality of war (similar to the unbelievable yet conveniently uncovered brutality of the carnage on our highways - to both humans and animals - yes you know as well as I, the dismemberments, decapitations, immolations, and disembolations).
Most of the combat footage, unintentionally, no doubt, actually shows our soldiers as good and brave men. Never will I forget the footage of our weary grizzled soldiers firing away at the enemy during the hectic days of the Tet offensive. I saw some of that footage as a child and despite liberal anti-war parents and what to me even at that age was a brazenly biased evening new anchor, Walter Concrete, it made an indelible heroic impression on me. I wanted to be a soldier and I wanted to fight in VietNam.
Since the narrative and production bias in this series is so patent as to laughable if the subject were not so serious, it is to be recommended for its cinematographic flair alone.
Matt Reardon
 Thought-provoking and compelling February 16, 2007
5 out of 10 found this review helpful
To give this documentary a one-star review simply for the PBS re-editing saddens me. I walked away from this DVD with a vast knowledge about the war I never had before. While I haven't seen the original, and would very much like to now, this bare-bones retelling of the entire war from A to Z is absolutely one of the best documentarys I've ever seen. There is no flour, no sugar, no flashy History Channel editing with heroic music in the background, no interviews with anyone not personally involved in the war (i.e. Historians or war analysts) and simply no misinformation. Just knowledge. Pure and simple.
Unparalleled! February 16, 2007
14 out of 17 found this review helpful
Firstly, the ads are very brief and inoffensive. They're the sort of message you see before most shows on PBS these days and are virtually unnoticable to anyone who is exposed to media on a daily basis. Given the annoying studio adverts we have to watch before every conventional movie these ads are lost in the noise. Furthermore, you can fast-forward them!
The issue of the ommissions from the original is more difficult for me to address, but although I also remember watching the series years ago I haven't noticed even the slightest change in the overall theme. It's still nearly 11 hours long, which should keep you out of trouble for a while.
Some reviewers have predictably attacked this series for it's content, but I am under the strong impression that in most cases it is because of the fact that it does not fit within a preset world view. As a historian myself, I can vouch for the fact that all historical works (even those created with the best intentions) are at least somewhat biased. It is dangerous to expect any work of history to be completely comprehensive.
The harsh truth of it is that Vietnam was a truly unique war in how it was recorded. Never before or since has a human conflict been given such attention both during and after, and because of this we get a unique glimpse into what war does to people. We now live in an age where spin has been perfected and those that would ask us to march off have learned their lessons about controlling information. For that reason alone this series is worth the investment.
 FOOLS! FOOLS! THEY ARE FOOLS! February 15, 2007
11 out of 24 found this review helpful
I WAS PLANNING ON PURCHASING THIS DIRECTLY FROM PBS UNTIL I READ THE REVIEWS. TALK ABOUT CENSORSHIP! THOSE NUTS AT PBS ARE LOSING A LOT OF RESPECT AND A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THE ATTEMPT TO LIMIT FREE SPEECH. I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYONE WOULD SUPPORT PBS IF THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE PUTTING A GAG ON FREE SPEECH. THEY EDITED A LOT OF CUSTOMERS OUT OF PURCHASING THIS DVD BECAUSE THEY EDITED SO MUCH FROM THE SERIES.
A Bright Shining Lie February 3, 2007
9 out of 13 found this review helpful
That PBS would edit, change the content! No Way BIG way having a friend that used to edit Frontline at WGBH what is the surprise, you should see what hits the cutting room floor, so to speak.Hey don't get excited it is the new speak now a days you can't have a war without a lie. Aparently it has to be applied to the past. There was a great scene which showed a US Army Sgt bathing a child in a large white enameled basin as the mother looks on in horror. You know, win the hearts and minds of the people. The Army is doing this to 'teach' the people to bath not knowing that Vietnamese people bath twice a day. The reason the mother was shocked - the basin is for cleaning vegatables and would never be soiled by washing someone in it. They wouldn't cut that would they? Great 1965 circa footage the stills won a Pulizter.
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