Vietnam in HD: An Endless War (2011)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
The fourth episode in The History Channel documentary is certainly one of the best. The film picks up saying that in April of 1968 there are more than 48,000 Americans drafted for the war and we see what type of reaction this is having at home. The war supporters are at an all-time low and protests are breaking out all over the place. In a five month period you have the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., the death of Robert Kennedy and the bloodiest month in the war. We meet a couple new soldiers, Arthur Wiknik and Karl Mavlantes, who tell their stories of how they got into the war and what they experienced on Hills 484 and 937. The most famous battle would become known as Hamburger Hill and its this battle that was reported by Life Magazine and it's this article that turned people at home against the soldiers. Once again all of this is brought to life in vivid detail and the actual war footage is as shocking and as brutal as ever. We get to see the A Shau Valley and why it was believed to have been such an important part of the war and why American leaders felt the need to try and destroy it. We also get to see Eagle Beach, which was pretty much a rest and relaxation spot for the soldiers who were trying to get their minds of death and the war. There's no question that the most dramatic moments in the film are when the Hamburger Hill battle is recalled. It's quite chilling to hear about climbing up the hill and what all actually happened trying to do it. The documentary ends on a rather heartbreaking note as both Wiknik and Mavlantes discuss their horror when they returned home as proud soldiers only to realize that they were hated by a large number of people.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
The fourth episode in The History Channel documentary is certainly one of the best. The film picks up saying that in April of 1968 there are more than 48,000 Americans drafted for the war and we see what type of reaction this is having at home. The war supporters are at an all-time low and protests are breaking out all over the place. In a five month period you have the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., the death of Robert Kennedy and the bloodiest month in the war. We meet a couple new soldiers, Arthur Wiknik and Karl Mavlantes, who tell their stories of how they got into the war and what they experienced on Hills 484 and 937. The most famous battle would become known as Hamburger Hill and its this battle that was reported by Life Magazine and it's this article that turned people at home against the soldiers. Once again all of this is brought to life in vivid detail and the actual war footage is as shocking and as brutal as ever. We get to see the A Shau Valley and why it was believed to have been such an important part of the war and why American leaders felt the need to try and destroy it. We also get to see Eagle Beach, which was pretty much a rest and relaxation spot for the soldiers who were trying to get their minds of death and the war. There's no question that the most dramatic moments in the film are when the Hamburger Hill battle is recalled. It's quite chilling to hear about climbing up the hill and what all actually happened trying to do it. The documentary ends on a rather heartbreaking note as both Wiknik and Mavlantes discuss their horror when they returned home as proud soldiers only to realize that they were hated by a large number of people.
