Vietnam: A Television History (1983–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - America Takes Charge: 1965-1967 - full transcript

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THE GREATEST SINGLE ERROR

THAT AMERICA HAS EVER MADE.

VIETNAM HAS DIVERTED

OUR ATTENTION

FROM HOW THE WORLD

IS TO ORGANIZE ITSELF

TO PREVENT WORLD WAR III.

VIETNAM IS STILL WITH US.

IT HAS DIVIDED THE CONSENSUS

THAT CARRIED

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
THROUGH A GENERATION.



IT CREATED THE DOUBTS
ABOUT AMERICAN JUDGMENT

ABOUT AMERICAN CREDIBILITY
AND AMERICAN POWER.

I WILL NEVER BELIEVE

MY GOVERNMENT AGAIN.

CAPTIONING OF THIS PROGRAM
WAS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART

BY THE CORPORATION
FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING

AND PUBLIC TELEVISION STATIONS.

NARRATOR:
30 YEARS AFTER THE FIRST
AMERICAN DIED IN VIETNAM

THE LAST AMERICANS
WERE LEAVING

WAITING ON THE U.S. EMBASSY
ROOF TO BE FLOWN TO SAFETY.

THE LONG WAR WAS ENDING

IN THE DEFEAT
OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE STATE

THAT AMERICA HAD SUPPORTED
FOR TWO DECADES.

WHAT KIND OF PEACE
FINALLY WAS AT HAND?



WHAT WOULD BE
THE MEANING OF PEACE?

TO MANY SOUTH VIETNAMESE

PEACE MEANT THE END
OF THEIR WAY OF LIFE.

THE AMERICANS HELPED 65,000
TO ESCAPE

IN THE LAST WEEKS OF WAR.

THOUSANDS MORE--

FAMILIES OF OFFICIALS,
BUSINESSMEN

AND OTHERS WITH CLOSE LINKS
TO THE AMERICANS--

FLED IN TERROR.

I WAS 14 YEARS OLD

WHEN I LEFT SAIGON IN '75.

AT 6:00 WE HEARD
ON THE RADIO

THAT THE SOLDIER
HAVE TO GIVE UP

SO THE COMMUNISTS WILL
COME IN FOR PEACE.

MY FATHER DIDN'T
BELIEVE THAT.

SO HE DECIDED TO GO,
NO MATTER WHAT.

IT WAS LIKE
A MOVIE TO ME

BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON

I WAS SO AFRAID.

THE COMMUNISTS STOPPED US

AND ASKED US WHERE
WE WOULD BE GOING.

BUT MY FATHER HAVE
TO BRIBE THEM

BY GIVING THEM
A DIAMOND WATCH.

THE COMRADE WAS SATISFIED,
SO HE LET US GO.

NARRATOR:
TO THE NORTH VIETNAMESE SOLDIERS
WHO TOOK SAIGON

PEACE MEANT THE END
OF THE ANTI-COLONIAL WAR.

WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE PALACE

I WALKED UP

TO THE SECOND FLOOR

WHERE MEMBERS OF THE PUPPET
ADMINISTRATION HAD GATHERED.

DUONG VAN MINH THEN
STEPPED OUT OF THE CROWD

AND SAID:

"I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU
SINCE EARLY THIS MORNING

IN ORDER TO TURN OVER
THE GOVERNMENT TO YOU."

TO WHICH I REPLIED AT ONCE:

"YOUR ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION
HAS COLLAPSED.

"PEOPLE CANNOT TURN OVER
WHAT THEY DO NOT HAVE.

YOUR ONLY CHOICE
IS TO SURRENDER."

NARRATOR:
TO MANY SAIGONESE

PEACE BROUGHT A GLIMMER
OF HOPE.

THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT

WAS REALLY NOT GOOD

FOR US BEFORE

AND MAYBE NOW

IS THE CHANGE.

AND AT LEAST WE CAN SEE
OUR COUNTRY NOW

WITH THE FULL LENGTH
FROM NORTH TO SOUTH

AND NO MORE WAR,
NO MORE HOSTILITY.

THEREFORE,
WE CAME OUT THE STREET

TO SEE WHAT COMMUNISTS
LOOKED LIKE.

AND WE SAW THE COMMUNIST ARMY--

THEY'RE REALLY NICE,
AND THEY SMILE WITH US.

WE SAW A FOREST
OF FLAGS AND SLOGANS

AND THE PICTURE
OF HO CHI MINH.

LIKE A FAMILY--

LIKE A BIG
FAMILY NOW.

NO MORE WAR.

MINH NGUYEN: THE COMMUNISTS USE
A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL WORDS

FOR EXAMPLE:

"NOTHING IS PRECIOUS
THAN FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE."

NOW WE WERE FREE
AND INDEPENDENCE.

AND WE CAN VISIT HANOI, MAYBE.

WE CAN KNOW THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

THEN AFTER THAT,
DAY BY DAY

WE REALIZE A LOT
OF TERRIBLE THINGS.

NARRATOR:
130,000 REFUGEES FROM INDOCHINA
MADE THEIR WAY TO GUAM

AND ON TO AMERICA
BY THE END OF 1975.

BY 1976, THE FLOW OF REFUGEES
HAD SLOWED

AND THE WAR HAD FADED
INTO A KIND OF LIMBO.

AMERICA SALUTED THE COUNTRY'S
200th BIRTHDAY.

SAILING SHIPS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD

ASSEMBLED IN THE HUDSON RIVER.

THE CONFUSION AND DISCORD
AMONG AMERICANS

THAT HAD MARKED
THE VIETNAM ERA

WERE NOWHERE IN EVIDENCE.

BUT THE BICENTENNIAL
WAS ALSO

A PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION YEAR.

THE MAJOR PARTIES OFFERED
CONFLICTING JUDGMENTS

ON THE MEANING OF VIETNAM.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S
PLATFORM PLANK ON ASIA STATED:

"THE VIETNAM WAR HAS TAUGHT US

"THE FOLLY OF BECOMING
MILITARILY INVOLVED

WHERE OUR VITAL INTERESTS
WERE NOT AT STAKE."

STRESSING AMERICA'S VITAL
STRATEGIC INTERESTS IN ASIA

THE REPUBLICAN PLANK BLAMED
THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS

FOR REFUSING ADEATE MILITARY
AID TO INDOCHINA.

THE CANDIDATES CLASHED
REPEATEDLY

OVER HOW TO DEAL
WITH THE YOUNG MEN

WHO HAD AVOIDED
MILITARY SERVICE.

I GAVE,
IN SEPTEMBER
OF 1974

AN OPPORTUNITY

FOR ALL
DRAFT EVADERS

ALL DESERTERS

TO CLEAR
THEIR RECORDS

BY EARNING AN
OPPORTUNITY

TO RESTORE
THEIR GOOD
CITIZENSHIP.

I DON'T THINK
WE SHOULD GO ANY FURTHER.

I DON'T ADVOCATE AMNESTY.

I ADVOCATE PARDON.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE,
IN MY OPINION.

AMNESTY MEANS
THAT WHAT YOU DID WAS RIGHT.

PARDON MEANS
THAT WHAT YOU DID--

WHETHER IT'S RIGHT
OR WRONG--

YOU'RE FORGIVEN FOR IT.

NARRATOR:
MORE THAN 200,000 MEN
WERE ACCUSED OF DRAFT EVASION.

PRESIDENT CARTER GAVE THEM
A BLANKET PARDON.

AMONG THE FIRST TO COME HOME
FROM CANADA

WAS ANTHONY RODRIGUEZ.

I SEE THE WHOLE VIETNAM ISSUE

AS A VERY DIVISIVE ISSUE
IN THE COUNTRY.

AND MAYBE THIS IS REALLY
THE FIRST STEP

TOWARDS RECONCILIATION.

MR. CARTER SHOULD HAVE WAITED

A BIT MORE THAN ONE DAY

TO DO THIS

IF HE WAS GOING

TO DO IT AT ALL.

THERE ARE OTHER PRIORITIES
HE SHOULD HAVE SET

TO HEAL THE WOUNDS OF WAR.

THERE ARE 1,300 FAMILIES
OR MORE

WHO DON'T KNOW
WHERE THEIR SONS ARE.

I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT THE MISSING IN ACTION.

ALSO THERE ARE
VIETNAM VETERANS

WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED

AND WHO DID SERVE
THIS COUNTRY HONORABLY

WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING
THEIR RIGHTS.

AND I FEEL
THAT THE FIRST PRIORITY

SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN
TO THESE PEOPLE

AND THEN MAYBE WE COULD
TALK ABOUT THE OTHERS.

CARTER HIMSELF DEEPLY WANTED

TO HAVE SOME MAJOR SYMBOLIC
ACTIONS

OF RECONCILIATION.

HE HAD PLEDGED

DURING THE CAMPAIGN

TO THE LEAGUE
OF M.I.A. FAMILIES

THAT HE WOULD SEND
A DELEGATION TO HANOI

TO PURSUE THE SEARCH.

IN MARCH OF '77,
HE SENT THIS TEAM TO VIETNAM

HEADED BY LEONARD WOODCOCK
AND MIKE MANSFIELD.

I THINK IT WAS, AT BEST,
A VERY DIFFICULT ROAD

TO CREATE A RECONCILIATION

BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES
AND VIETNAM

AFTER THE HORRENDOUS,
LACERATING EVENTS

OF THE PREVIOUS DECADE.

THE VIETNAMESE

HAVE INFORMED US

THAT THEY ARE GIVING US

THE REMAINS
OF 12 AMERICAN SERVICEMEN.

THEY WILL BE FLOWN
OUT OF VIETNAM

WITH THE COMMISSION.

WE HAVE ALSO ESTABLISHED
A MECHANISM

FOR THE PROVISION
OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ON OUR MISSING MEN.

THE LEAGUE
OF M.I.A. FAMILIES

HAD A POWERFUL EMOTIONAL ISSUE

WHICH GRABBED THE SOULS
OF MANY AMERICANS.

WE WANT AN ACCOUNTING.

WE WANT THEM TO STOP

DRIBBLING OUT REMAINS

11 AT A TIME

ANY TIME
IT'S POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT.

WE WANT THEM TO PUT
SOME PRIORITY

ON DOING IT NOW.

THERE WERE 2,500
OF THE AMERICANS

WHO DIED IN VIETNAM

WHO REMAINED UNACCOUNTED-FOR
AT THE END OF THE WAR.

THAT'S 4% OF THE AMERICANS
WHO DIED IN VIETNAM

COMPARED TO THE 22%
WHO DIED IN KOREA

AND 22%
WHO DIED IN WORLD WAR II

WHOSE BODIES
NEVER WERE RECOVERED.

THAT'S A TRIBUTE
TO THE UNITED STATES MILITARY.

HOWEVER, PILOTS WENT DOWN
IN THE NORTH

AND OTHERS
IN THE SOUTH

WHOSE BODIES WERE
NEVER RECOVERED.

PRESIDENT CARTER
SUPPOSEDLY HAD

THIS BIG HUMAN-RIGHTS THING
GOING ON.

IF THEY'RE SO CONCERNED
ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS

WHY DON'T THEY GET
THE VIETNAMESE TO COOPERATE

ON THE ACCOUNTING?

NARRATOR:
IN APRIL, 1977

VIETNAMESE PREMIER
PHAM VAN DONG

ARRIVED IN PARIS

WHERE VIETNAM AND AMERICA
HAD AGREED TO TALK

ABOUT ESTABLISHING
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS--

SEPARATE FROM
THE M.I.A. ISSUE.

HIS ARRIVAL FIRED
POLITICAL PASSIONS

AMONG THE REFUGEES.

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE

DONG EXPRESSED HOPE

FOR BETTER RELATIONS
WITH AMERICA.

THE PREMIER'S OPTIMISM
MAY HAVE BEEN LINKED

TO A LETTER
FROM AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT.

THE VIETNAMESE
TOOK A POSITION IN 1977--

AN IDIOTIC POSITION,
IN MY VIEW--

A SELF-DEFEATING POSITION

WHICH THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
UNDERSTANDABLY AND
INSTANTANEOUSLY REJECTED--

THAT THE UNITED STATES
HAD TO PAY UP

THE MONEY PROMISED
TO THE VIETNAMESE

BY NIXON

IN A LETTER HE HAD SENT THEM
ON FEBRUARY 1, 1973--

$4? BILLION
OF CREDITS AND GRANTS.

NOW, THAT LETTER
WAS SECRET AT THE TIME.

NIXON HAS SUBSEQUENTLY
DISAVOWED IT, IN EFFECT

BY SAYING IT WAS LINKED
TO ACTIONS OF THE VIETNAMESE

WHICH NEVER TOOK PLACE.

THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY

THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC--
THE CONGRESS--

WERE GOING TO GIVE MONEY
TO THE VIETNAMESE.

FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS

WE HAVE OPPOSED VIETNAM'S ENTRY

INTO THE UNITED NATIONS.

THIS YEAR,
WE DID NOT OPPOSE IT.

AND NOW
VIETNAM WILL BE A MEMBER

OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY
IN THE UNITED NATIONS.

I DON'T HAVE
ANY APOLOGY TO MAKE

ABOUT THAT ACTION.

I AM NOT IN FAVOR

OF THE UNITED STATES
PAYING ANY MONEY OR REPARATIONS

TO VIETNAM.

NARRATOR:
AMERICA WAS NOT IN A MOOD

TO HELP
AN UNREPENTANT ENEMY.

IN THE FALL OF 1978

I CONTINUED,
UNDER PRESIDENTIAL INSTRUCTIONS

MY TALKS IN NEW YORK

WITH NGUYEN CO THACH.

WE MET SEVERAL TIMES

AND IN THE SECOND

OF OUR MEETINGS

THACH DROPPED THE DEMAND
THE VIETNAMESE HAD MAINTAINED

FOR THE PREVIOUS
THREE YEARS

THAT THE UNITED STATES PAY
WAR REPARATIONS, OR AID
TO VIETNAM

AS THE PRICE OF RECOGNITION.

WHEN HE DROPPED
THAT DEMAND

HE THOUGHT
THAT THE WAY WAS NOW CLEAR

FOR IMMEDIATE PROGRESS.

BUT THE BOAT PEOPLE
WERE POURING OUT

INTO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

AND THERE WAS
A WORLDWIDE UPROAR.

AND ON NOVEMBER 2--

WHILE WE WERE
IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING

WHAT WE SHOULD DO--

THE VIETNAMESE AND THE RUSSIANS
SIGNED

A TREATY
OF PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP

IN MOSCOW.

THIS SERIES OF EVENTS
MADE US DECIDE

THAT WE OUGHT TO GO SLOW.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC
OF CHINA

HAVE AGREED

TO RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER

AND TO ESTABLISH
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

AS OF JANUARY 1, 1979.

THE NORMALIZATION
OF RELATIONS

BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES
AND CHINA

HAS NO OTHER PURPOSE
THAN THE ADVANCEMENT OF PEACE.

WHEN WE WENT INTO OFFICE

WE VERY DELIBERATELY SAT DOWN

AND DEFINED FOR OURSELVES

ABOUT 10 OBJECTIVES
FOR THE FOUR YEARS.

THE FIFTH OBJECTIVE WAS

THAT WE WOULD NORMALIZE
RELATIONS WITH CHINA

DURING THE FIRST TERM.

AND WE EVEN SET FOR OURSELVES
THE OBJECTIVE

OF NORMALIZING RELATIONS
BY 1979.

WHEN WE BEGAN TO COPE

WITH THE
AMERICAN-CHINESE RELATIONSHIP

WE WERE CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT

THAT CHINA AND VIETNAM
WERE AT LOGGERHEADS.

THEY WERE IN A CONDITION
OF SEVERE HOSTILITY

WITH SOME LIMITED FIGHTING.

THUS,
IT WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION

TO TRY
TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS

WITH BOTH
AT THE SAME TIME.

SO I MADE CERTAIN
THAT WE MOVED

IN A DELIBERATE FASHION

IN NORMALIZING RELATIONS
WITH CHINA

BUT THAT WE WOULD PUT ASIDE,
WHILE DOING THAT

ANY IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONS
WITH VIETNAM.

NARRATOR:
VIEWED FROM HANOI

AMERICA'S REVERSAL
SEEMED IRONIC.

AMERICA HAD GONE TO WAR
IN VIETNAM

TO CONTAIN
CHINESE COMMUNIST EXPANSION.

NOW, TO PLEASE CHINA

IT WAS REFUSING
TO MAKE PEACE WITH VIETNAM.

VIETNAM NEEDED
ALL THE AID IT COULD GET.

THE WAR MAY HAVE COST

AS MANY AS TWO MILLION
VIETNAMESE DEAD

AND 4½ MILLION WOUNDED,
NORTH AND SOUTH.

VAST AREAS
HAD BEEN BATTLEFIELDS

DEVASTATED BY THREE TIMES
THE TOTAL TONNAGE OF BOMBS

DROPPED IN ALL
OF WORLD WAR II.

THE VIETNAMESE PEASANTRY
HAD ENDURED

30 YEARS OF INCREASINGLY
SOPHISTICATED WARFARE

SUPPLIED BY THE BIG POWERS
ON BOTH SIDES.

THE HANOI LEADERSHIP
HAD BUILT

A SOVIET-STYLE STATE
IN NORTH VIETNAM.

FOR TONIGHT'S NEWS,
PLEASE JOIN US IN WATCHING

THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE
OF VETERANS' AND WAR HEROES'
FAMILIES

THE DEVELOPMENT
OF PRODUCTION

AND THE PROGRAM
OF "LITTLE FLOWERS."

NARRATOR:
AS IN WARTIME

WORKERS WERE REQUIRED
TO DEVOTE

THEIR DAYS OFF
FROM REGULAR JOBS

TO TASKS
OF RECONSTRUCTION.

BUT THEY WERE TIRED
OF MAKING SACRIFICES.

SINCE THE END OF THE WAR--

WITHOUT ALL THOSE BOMBS

DROPPING DOWN ON US--

WE'VE LOST
MUCH OF OUR FORMER FERVOR.

WE NOW COMPLAIN
OF HOUSING SHORTAGES

AND FOOD SHORTAGES.

BUT DURING THE WAR YEARS

YOU NEVER HEARD ANYONE
COMPLAINING

ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL!

NARRATOR:
PEACE HAD BROUGHT

A NEW NAME TO SAIGON--

"HO CHI MINH CITY."

IT WAS PLAGUED

BY UNCOUNTED NUMBERS
OF PROSTITUTES AND DRUG ADDICTS

TWO MILLION REFUGEES
FROM THE COUNTRYSIDE

AND 700,000 UNEMPLOYED.

TOUGH NORTHERN OFFICIALS
TOOK OVER

FROM THEIR FORMER
VIET CONG COMRADES.

SOUTHERNERS QUICKLY LOST
THEIR ILLUSIONS.

THE COMMUNIST PARTY--

THEY TRY TO MAKE PEOPLE

TO BECOME ROBOTS--

TO SERVE THE COMMUNIST PARTY.

WHEN THE COMMUNISTS TOOK OVER

SOUTH VIETNAM

I DIDN'T GO TO TEACH ANYMORE

BECAUSE I CAN SEE
THAT THEY HAD

A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION POLICY.

SO I STAYED HOME

AND TRIED TO PLAN
WITH MY FAMILY

TO ESCAPE

BECAUSE THE SITUATION
IN SOUTH VIETNAM

IS WORSE AND WORSE.

NARRATOR:
THE BLOODBATH
PREDICTED BY MANY--

MASS EXECUTIONS
OF POLITICAL OPPONENTS--

DID NOT TAKE PLACE
IN VIETNAM.

BUT 1½ MILLION SOUTHERNERS
WERE FORCED TO RESETTLE

IN NEW ECONOMIC ZONES.

THE ZONES WERE REMOTE,
AND THE LAND WAS OFTEN POOR.

MANY FOUND THE WORK TOO HARD,
AND THE DISTRACTIONS TOO FEW.

SOME DRIFTED
BACK INTO SAIGON.

THE NEW GOVERNMENT OPPRESSED
THE CHINESE BUSINESS COMMUNITY

FOR BOTH RACIAL
AND ECONOMIC REASONS

AND THEY INTENED

MORE THAN 200,000
POLITICAL SUSPECTS

IN SO-CALLED
"RE-EDUCATION CAMPS"

IN THE FIRST
12 MONTHS OF PEACE.

RIGHT UP
TO APRIL, 1975

I WAS CALL AND REPORT

TO THE COMMUNIST POST

AND THEY SENT ME

TO THE RE-EDUCATION CAMP.

LIKE ALL THE CAMPS

THEY HAVE 10 LESSONS.

THIS MEAN

THEY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES--

WHAT IS THE COMMUNISTS DOING
FOR OUR COUNTRY

AND WHO IS THE U.S.

AND THE LAST LESSON,
I THINK

WAS "COMMUNIST RUSSIA
IS A GREAT COUNTRY--

IS LIKE HEAVEN."

AT FIRST,
WE TRUST THEM

AND WE THOUGHT THAT MAYBE,
AFTER A FEW LESSONS

WE CAN COME BACK
TO OUR FAMILY

AND LIVE A NORMAL LIFE.

SO ALL OF US
WOULD TRY TO STUDY

AND TRY TO TRUST THEM.

THE PHYSICAL CONDITION
IS SURVIVE DAY BY DAY.

AND MANY PEOPLE WAS KILLED
BY DISEASE.

THERE IS NO WAY
YOU CAN DESCRIBE HERE

BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE
STARVING.

AND ONE OF
THE COMMUNIST POLICE--

HE SAW THAT.

AND THEY PUSHED ME
IN A VERY SMALL ROOM

AND THEY MAKE SOMETHING
LIKE A LOCK

BY ONE PIECE OF WOOD

WITH FIVE HOLE--

ONE FOR THE NECK,
TWO FOR HANDS

AND TWO FOR FEETS.

AND THEY PUSH
ALL OF MY BODY IN THERE

AND THEY LOCK IT UP

AND LEFT ME LIKE THAT
FOR ONE WEEK.

AFTER THAT, FOR TWO DAYS,
I COULDN'T STAND UP

BECAUSE ALL OF MY BODY--

JUST LIKE A ROLL
FOR ONE WEEK.

AT THE MOMENT THAT I ESCAPED
FROM THE RE-EDUCATION CAMP

I MADE UP MY MIND

THAT I HAD TO ESCAPE
FROM THE COUNTRY

AT ALL PRICE.

BUT TO MANAGE TO DO THAT
IS THE MATTER OF MONEY.

NARRATOR:
LIFE IN POSTWAR VIETNAM

WAS GRIM.

IT WAS WORSE
IN NEIGHBORING CAMBODIA.

THOUSANDS
OF CAMBODIAN REFUGEES

WERE ESCAPING WITH STORIES
OF ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE HORRORS.

NOW, I TALK ABOUT THE KILLING
IN MY HOMETOWN.

THEY KILL ALL THE SOLDIER--

EVEN YOUR PRIVATE SOLDIER

THE TEACHERS
AND ALL THE EDUCATED PEOPLES

NURSES--EVERYBODY.

EVEN THEIR OWN PEOPLE--
THE COMRADE--

WHEN THEY THINK
THEY ARE NOT GOOD

THEY ARREST THEM.

NOBODY KNOW
WHAT'S GOING ON--

THEY JUST ARREST,
AND BEAT THEM ALONG THE ROAD

AND DISAPPEAR.

NARRATOR:
THE CAMBODIAN COMMUNISTS--

THE KHMER ROUGE--

HAD SEIZED POWER
IN 1975.

LED BY POL POT,
THEY DROVE THE POPULATION

INTO VAST
AGRICULTURAL COLLECTIVES.

CAMBODIA
DREW CLOSER TO CHINA

AND INCREASINGLY HOSTILE
TO VIETNAM.

FEARING COMMUNIST CHINA

COMMUNIST VIETNAM INVADED
COMMUNIST CAMBODIA.

THE VIETNAMESE INTERVENED.

MY FIRST TRIP

INSIDE CAMBODIA

OCCURRED WHILE I WAS WORKING

ON CAMBODIAN REFUGEE

AND FAMINE-RELIEF PROGRAMS.

I MADE A SECOND TRIP
TO CAMBODIA

TO PHOTOGRAPH
THE EVIDENCE THAT REMAINED

OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED
UNDER THE KHMER ROUGE.

NARRATOR:
AT THE CHUNG ECK
MASS GRAVE SITE

VICTIMS' SKULLS
WERE STILL BLINDFOLDED

AND THEIR ARMS
STILL BOUND.

LATER,
THE REMAINS WERE COLLECTED

IN MEMORIAL SHEDS.

AT TONLE BATIV

A FORMER SCHOOL SERVED
AS THE EXECUTION CENTER.

THERE WAS ESSENTIALLY
A THREE-TIERED STRUCTURE

OF MURDER BY GOVERNMENT
IN CAMBODIA

UNDER THE KHMER ROUGE.

AT THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID

WAS A PRISON EXECUTION-
EXTERMINATION SYSTEM

WHERE PEOPLE WHO WERE PRESUMED
TO BE OPPONENTS

WERE INDIVIDUALLY EXECUTED.

IN PLACES LIKE TUL SLANG

15,000 PEOPLE
WERE INDIVIDUALLY EXECUTED

AND ONLY SEVEN
SURVIVED FROM THAT.

IT WAS
A FORMER SCHOOL

AND A HALLWAY WAS KNOCKED
BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUAL ROOMS

AND SMALL CINDER-BLOCK CELLS
WERE CONSTRUCTED

WHERE PRISONERS WERE HELD,
BOUND BY LEG-IRONS.

WHEN THE VIETNAMESE INVADED,
THEY DID SO SO QUICKLY

THAT ESSENTIALLY,
THE KHMER ROUGE JAILERS
AND PRISON OFFICIALS RAN OFF

AND LEFT BEHIND

SCORES OF THOUSANDS OF PAGES
OF DOCUMENTATION

THAT HAD BEEN UTILIZED

AT THIS PRISON
EXECUTION CENTER.

AND IT'S VERY SURPRISING

THAT YOU WOULD HAVE,
IN A ILLITERATE PEASANT COUNTRY

A BUREAUCRACY OF DEATH

THAT WAS THAT EFFICIENT
AND THAT DEVELOPED--

LITERALLY, AN ASIAN AUSCHWITZ,
AS IT WERE.

YOU HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS
OF INDIVIDUALS

TAKEN AFTER THEY WERE DEAD
OR NEARLY DEAD

THAT COULD BE SENT ON
TO PARTY HIGHER-UPS

TO SHOW THAT THESE
TRAITORS HAD BEEN KILLED.

AS THE REVOLUTION FAILED

THEY KEPT LOOKING ABOUT
FOR WHO WAS SABATOGING IT NOW.

IT FIGURED THAT THEY
HAD ELIMINATED THE ENEMIES

TO THE REVOLUTION

BUT STILL THINGS
WEREN'T WORKING.

YOU HAVE
IN THREE AND HALF YEARS

OF KHMER ROUGE RULE

BETWEEN 1-1/2 TO 2-1/2 MILLION
OUT OF SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE

DYING THROUGH A COMBINATION
OF EXECUTIION

INDUCED STARVATION, EXHAUSTION
AND DISEASE.

NARRATOR: FIVE WEEKS
AFTER THE DEFEAT

OF THE KHMER ROUGE

CHINA SENT AN ARMY

OF 200,000 ACROSS THE BORDER

TO PUNISH VIETNAM
FOR ITS INVASION OF CAMBODIA.

ONCE AGAIN, VIETNAMESE
CIVILIANS FLED FROM GUNFIRE.

ONCE AGAIN, PEACE MEANT WAR
IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

THE CHINESE WITHDREW
IN FOUR WEEKS

BUT CONTINUED TO HARASS
VIETNAM

WHILE VIETNAM STROVE
TO CONSOLIDATE

ITS DOMINATION OF CAMBODIA.

THE FLOW OF REFUGEES
BECAME A TORRENT

AS THE TENSION INCREASED.

VIETNAMESE AND ETHNIC CHINESE
RISKED THEIR LIVES

IN ESCAPING FROM VIETNAM.

THOUSANDS DIED.

ALL SUFFERED HARDSHIPS.

PIRATES OPERATING
OFF THE COAST OF THAILAND

PREYED MERCILESSLY
ON THE BOAT PEOPLE.

WE COME FROM VIETNAM.

HOW MANY
DAYS?

FIFTEEN DAYS.

HOW MANY
PEOPLE?

NINETEEN.

TWO CHILDREN--TWO BABIES.

THE BABIES STARTED TO DIE
BUT WE TRIED TO MAKE SOME RICE.

HOW ABOUT
THE PIRATES?

PIRATES?

I CANNOT TELL THE TRUTH.

EVERYTHING IS...OFF...OUT.

WHAT HAPPENED?

THEY TOOK IT?

YEAH.

HOW MANY TIMES
DID THEY ATTACK YOU?

ONE DAY AND A HALF.

DID YOU EAT
YESTERDAY?

TODAY?

TODAY, THIS MAN
GIVE ME SOME FOOD.

AND BEFORE THAT
YOU DIDN'T HAVE FOOD?

NO, NOTHING.

NO FOOD
FOR NINE DAYS.

NO WATER.

NO FOOD.

NARRATOR: NEARLY TWO MILLION
VIETNAMESE, CAMBODIANS

AND LAOTIONS

FLED INDOCHINA FROM 1975
THROUGH 1983.

200,000 REMAIN IN SOUTHEAST
ASIAN REFUGEE CAMPS

BECAUSE NO COUNTRY
WILL ACCEPT THEM.

WE LEFT VIETNAM ON JANUARY 31

AT 2:00 A.M.

WHEN WE... AWAY FROM THE COAST
THE OCEAN...

WE HAVE NO WIND.

BUT WHEN WE ARE ABOUT
20 KILOMETERS FROM THE COAST

THE WIND IS VERY HIGH

AND THERE IS A BIG STORM.

ALL THE CHILDREN ARE SICK.

WE ARE VERY WORRIED.

AROUND US ALL NIGHT

ALL ONE COLOR--DARK--BLACK.

WE PLANNED THE ESCAPE
FOR A YEAR.

WE KNOW THAT IT
IS VERY DANGEROUS

BUT WE HAVE NO CHOICE.

ONLY ONE CHOICE--

THE CHOICE BETWEEN
FREEDOM AND DEATH.

I GOT THE NEWS
SOMETIME IN AUGUST

THAT MY FAMILY WAS ACCEPTED
TO GO TO THE STATES.

THEY WERE VERY HAPPY

BECAUSE I THINK THAT
I CAN MANAGE TO BE THERE

TO GIVE MY CHILDREN
OPPORTUNITY TO GROW.

NARRATOR: BY THE END
OF 1983

NEARLY 700,000 INDOCHINESE--
MAINLY FROM VIETNAM--

HAD REACHED AMERICA.

NO OTHER COUNTRY HAD
ACCEPTED SO MANY.

AS THEY REBUILD THEIR LIVES
IN AMERICA

MOST LOOK BACK IN LONGING
TO THEIR HOMELAND.

IT'S MY HOPE

THAT THE REGIME IN MY COUNTRY

WILL CHANGE.

THAT MEANS THAT MY COUNTRY

IS NOT COMMUNIST ANYMORE.

IT IS IN MY HEART THAT I HOPE
THAT THAT DAY WILL HAPPEN

SO THAT I CAN RETURN
TO Y COUNTRY

BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE--
THE ASIATIC IN GENERAL

AND THE VIETNAMESE
IN PARTICULAR--

WE'RE VERY TIED
TO WHERE WE WERE BORN.

I WANT TO REMAIN FOREVER
IN LANG SONG

AFTER ME MY CHILDREN

AND AFTER MY CHILDREN,
MY GRANDCHILDREN.

NARRATOR: LIKE THE REFUGEES

PEOPLE IN VIETNAM ALSO EXPRESS

STRONG ATTACHMENT TO THEIR
NATIVE LAND.

NGUYEN CHI THANH:
NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES

THE FOREIGN INVADERS COME
AND DESTROY THIS PLACE

I WILL CONTINUE TO REBUILD

AND WILL CONTINUE
TO REMAIN HERE FOREVER.

I'M NOT AFRAID.

IF I HAVE TO FIGHT AGAIN,
I WILL FIGHT AGAIN.

THIS IS MY NATIVE LAND.

MY HOPE IS TO BUILD

A SOCIALIST SYSTEM IN MY COUNTRY

TO BRING HAPPINESS

TO THE PEOPLE

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
TO KEEP OUR COUNTRY UNIFIED.

NOT ONLY IN MY LIFETIME

DOES MY COUNTRY HAVE TO
BE KEPT UNIFIED

BUT ALSO IN THE LIVES
OF MY CHILDREN

MY GRANDCHILDREN
AND THEIR CHILDREN AFTER THEM.

WE WILL NEVER ALLOW ANY COUNTRY
TO ENCROACH UPON OUR COUNTRY.

I FEEL THAT I CAN NEVER LEAVE
THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE.

I FEEL THAT I MUST HELP THEM

IN EVERY WAY THAT I CAN.

THIS IS BECAUSE MY WHOLE LIFE

AND THAT WHICH IS MOST
BEAUTIFUL OF MY IDEAL

ARE SO CLOSELY CONNECTED
WITH VIETNAM.

ALL OF US WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE

TO THE DEVELOPMENT

OF OUR NATION.

LOOKING BACK

WE CAN CERTAINLY SEE

THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
LOST OPPORTUNITIES.

IF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT

AND THE VARIOUS AMERICAN
ADMINISTRATIONS

HAD BEEN MORE REASONABLE,
MORE UNDERSTANDING

AND MORE INTELLIGENT

THEN THE WAR COULD HAVE
BEEN AVOIDED

AND CONSEQUENTLY DAMAGES
TO THE UNITED STATES

AND TO FRANCE

COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

WE NEVER WANTED TO HAVE A WAR.

NARRATOR: VIETNAM
CAN BE VIEWED IN RETROSPECT

AS THE LAST AND LONGEST

OF THE POST-WORLD WAR II
COLONIAL CONFLICTS.

IT CAN BE VIEWED
AS A CIVIL WAR.

IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED
AS AN EPISODE OF THE COLD WAR

LIKE KOREA IN THE EARLY 1950s.

BUT WHATEVER THE VIEW

IT WAS A TRAGIC WAR
FOR THE PEOPLES OF VIETNAM

CAMBODIA AND LAOS.

PEACE HAS LEFT THEM
POVERTY-STRICKEN, OPPRESSED

AND ALMOST ENTIRELY
DEPENDENT ON THE SOVIET UNION.

AND COMMUNIST VIETNAM
IS STILL AMERICA'S ENEMY.

THE WAR THAT WAS NEVER
DECLARED HAS NEVER ENDED.

FOR MANY AMERICANS,
VIETNAM THE COUNTRY

HAS BECOME VIETNAM THE LESSON.

WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE LEARNED

FROM VIETNAM

IS THE OPPOSITE

OF WHAT HAPPENED.

THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ANGOLA,
ETHIOPIA, YEMEN

AFGHANISTAN, IRAN TODAY.

UNTIL WE KNOW THE ENEMY

OUR ALLIES AND OURSELVES

WE BETTER KEEP OUT

OF THIS BUSINESS.

THE ONLY REASON TO
GO TO WAR

AT ANY TIME

IS TO OVERTHROW A GOVERNMENT

THAT'S DOING SOMETHING

YOU DON'T LIKE.

IF YOU ANNOUNCE
THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO

YOU SHOULD COME HOME
IMMEDIATELY.

WE SHOULD ASK, BEFORE WE
ARROGATE TO OURSELVES

THE RIGHT TO KILL

IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY

IN ORDER TO DETERMINE

THE GOVERNMENT OF THAT COUNTRY
AS WE SEE FIT.

A LESSON WE LEARNED
IS THAT

YOUNG MEN SHOULD NOT BE SENT

TO BATLE

UNLESS THE COUNTRY

IS GOING TO SUPPORT THEM.

NARRATOR:
THE MEN SENT TO VIETNAM

MAINLY WENT ALONE
AND RETURNED ALONE

OFTEN TO INDIFFERENCE
AND HOSTILITY.

YOU SEE A LOT
OF INSTANT INSANITY

THAT I DON'T THINK
ANYBODY PREPARED YOU FOR

AND ONE DAY

YOU'RE BACK ON THIS AIRPLANE

WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE LAUGHING

AND YOU'RE COMING OUT
OF THIS FREAKY ATMOSPHERE

AND YOU LAND BACK IN THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

AND NOBODY CARES.

NOBODY WANTS YOU TO BE
IN UNIFORM.

YOU TRY AND GO HOME.

THE ANIMOSITY, EVEN
ON THE AIRPLANE OUT HERE

WAS THERE.

PEOPLE WOULD TRY

TO STAY AWAY FROM YOU.

NOT MANY WOULD EVEN
TALK TO YOU.

WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS A TABOO.

THE TABOO IS YOU DON'T TALK

ABOUT HAVING BEEN

IN COMBAT IN VIETNAM

"AND WE WON'T ASK YOU
ABOUT IT."

IT WAS A COMFORTABLE CONTRACT.

IN THE PERIOD

RIGHT AFTER VIETNAM

WE FOUND THAT WE HAD AN ARMY

SEARCHINFOR A MISSION

IN CONJUNCTION WITH ITS ROLE
AS PART OF THE FORCES

WE HAD AN ARMY IN WHICH
WE HAD LOST

THE BASIC UNISON AND COHESION.

WE HAD LOST OUR NON-
COMMISSIONED OFFICER CORPS.

THERE WERE QUESTIONS
BEING RAISED

AS TO WHY AN ARMY?

NARRATOR: AFTER VIETNAM

A REDUCED ROLE
FOR AMERICAN FORCES

WAS PART OF THE NIXON DOCTRINE

WHICH RELIED ON EXTENTIONS
OF AMERICAN POWEABROAD.

IN 1979 ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARIES
IN IRAN

OVERTHREW THE SHAH'S REGIME.

THE SETBACK WAS COMPOUNDED

BY A GROWING NATIONAL
FRUSTRATION IN AMERICA.

NEWS REPORTER:

THE U.S. EMBASSY IN TEHERAN

HAS BEEN OCCUPIED
BY IRANIAN STUDENTS.

THE AMERICANS INSIDE
WILL BE HELD AS HOSTAGES

UNTIL THE DEPOSED SHAH
IS RETURNED FROM THE U.S.

WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE
TO FIGHT WITH THE AMERICANS

AND IF THEY FIGHT WITH US
THEY WILL LOSE IT

LIKE THEY LOST IN VIETNAM.

NARRATOR: THIS STARTED
A 444-DAY ORDEAL.

A MILITARY OPERATION
TO FREE THE HOSTAGES FAILED

THE SPECTACLE
OF AMERICAN IMPOTENCE

MAY HAVE COST
CARTER'S REELECTION.

ON HIS LAST DAY IN OFFICE
THE HOSTAGES WERE FREED.

THEIR HOMECOMING CELEBRATION
STIRRED PAINFUL MEMORIES

IN SOME VIETNAM VETERANS.

WE'RE HAPPY
THE HOSTAGES HAVE COME HOME

BUT WE WANT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
TO KNOW

THAT VIETNAM VETERANS HAD
A VERY DIFFERENT HOMECOMING

THAN THE HOSTAGES.

THEY'RE HEROES TO THE PEOPLE

YET WHAT DID THEY REALLY DO?

THEY SPENT A YEAR IN CAPTIVITY.

GUYS IN VIETNAM
WENT THROUGH A LOT MORE.

HEY, WHAT ABOUT US?

NARRATOR:
THE HUMILIATION IN IRAN
BROUGHT PUBLIC DEMANDS

THAT AMERICA REASSERT
ITS POWER.

IT ALSO BROUGHT
PUBLIC AWARENESS

OF THE HUMAN LEGACY OF VIETNAM.

OF 2 1/2 MILLION WHO SERVED,
A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER--

ARE STILL HAUNTED
BY THE EXPERIENCE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE BURNED
DURING THE WAR YEARS

AND FEEL THEY CAN'T TRUST

THE GOVERNMENT

OR MAJOR INSTITUTIONS

OF THIS SOCIETY.

THEY'VE RETREATED
INTO A KIND OF MISTRUST

OF THE MAJOR INSTITUTIONS

AND FEEL LIKE
IT'S NOT WORTH IT.

IN VIETNAM I LEARNED
THAT IF YOU KILLED SOMEONE

THEY COULD NEVER
BOTHER YOU AGAIN.

I'LL GET UPSET ABOUT STUFF

AND FEEL LIKE KILLING SOMEBODY.

BUT NOW MY INTELLECT
IS IN CHARGE

INSTEAD OF MY EMOTIONS.

I KNOW THAT IF I DO
I'M GOING TO GO TO JAIL.

I HAVE A LOT OF STRESSED
THOUGHTS

ABOUT IT'S NOT OVER YET.

LIKE THEY SAY IS IT A DREAM

OR IS IT MEMOREX OR WHAT?

BUT I STILL IN MY SLEEP
SEE THESE THINGS GOING ON

EVERY NIGHT.

I'M STILL SHAKY OVER IT.

I HAVEN'T BEGUN
TO SETTLE DOWN YET.

YOU WONDER WHY
VETS HAVE A HARD TIME

BECAUSE NOBODY'S TREATING

WHAT'S BOTHERING THEM.

YOU GET OVER YOUR WOUNDS FAST.

I WAS HEALTHY THREE MONTHS
AFTER I'D BEEN SHOT.

BUT EMOTIONALLY IT TOOK ME
EIGHT YEARS.

WE WERE RAISED

WITH THE CONCEPT OF HEROICS--

THE JOHN WAYNE MOVIES.

I WAS RAISED WITH THAT.

I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER
BE INJURED.

I WAS GOING THERE TO KILL
THE COMMIES AND COME HOME.

NARRATOR: DAVID CHRISTIAN

WAS ONE OF THE MOST DECORATED
SOLDIERS IN VIETNAM--

THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS,
TWO SILVER STARS

TWO BRONZE STARS,
SEVEN PURPLE HEARTS--

ALL BEFORE HE WAS
21 YEARS OLD.

COMING BACK TO AMERICA

AFTER YEARS
OF SUFFERING AND FRUSTRATION

TRYING TO FIND JOBS

AND HAVING THE AMERICAN
POLITICIANS TURN THEIR BACKS

ON US--

COME TO FIND OUT THAT WE WERE
SPRAYED WITH AGENT ORANGE--

A DIOXIN POISON.

I HAD BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL
SIX MONTHS SINCE LAST OCTOBER

FIGHTING EVERY DAY FOR MY LIFE

AND I READ THE DAILY NEWS

AND ON MAY 17

THERE WAS A SMALL ARTICLE

WARNING VIETNAM VETERANS
OF POSSIBLE CANCER

OR GENETIC DEFECTS
DUE TO AGENT ORANGE.

I WAS A CREW CHIEF
AND WE FLEW MISSIONS

AT THE SAME TIME
THEY WERE DEFOLIATING.

BEING WITH THE 20th
ENGINEER GROUP

THE ENGINEERS ALSO DEFOLIATED
AREAS AROUND THE PERIMETERS.

NO ONE EVER TOLD US

THAT YOU WERE DEALING
WITH SOMETHING DEADLY.

I DIED IN VIETNAM
AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT.

NARRATOR:
BEFORE HIS DEATH
OF CANCER AT 28

PAUL REUTERSHAN DREW PUBLIC
ATTENTION

TO VETERANS EXPOSED
TO AGENT ORANGE.

IN 1979 THE VETERANS

ADMINISTRATION RELEASED A FILM

THAT TRIED TO ADDRESS

VETERANS' FEARS.

ANNOUNCER: DIOXIN EXPOSURE
MIGHT CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS

OR EVEN CANCER

BUT IT IS IMPORTANT
TO REMEMBER

THAT THERE IS STILL NO
DEFINITE SCIENTIFIC PROOF.

NARRATOR:
SEVERAL THOUSAND VETERANS

ARE SUING THE MANUFACTURERS

WHO ASSERT THAT NO MEDICAL
STUDIES

HAVE PROVEN THAT EXPOSURE
IS HARMFUL TO HUMANS.

WHEN WE'VE GOTTEN PAST
OUR WOUNDED PRIDE

AND REESTABLISHED RELATIONS
WITH INDOCHINA

WE'LL BEGIN TO DISCOVER
WHAT THE AFTEREFFECTS HAVE BEEN.

THE USE OF POISONS
LIKE AGENT ORANGE

IS AN INDISCRIMINATE PART
OF THE WAR POLICY.

FROM 1962 UNTIL 1970

THEY SPRAYED
SEVERAL TIMES A DAY.

FOR CLOSE TO A DECADE

THE VIETNAMESE POPULATION
WAS EXPOSED TO THE CHEMICAL

WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING
OF ITS IMPACT.

NOT UNTIL 1970 WERE THEY TOLD
OF THE TOXICITY.

THE IMPORTANT THING

IS TO INTEGRATE OUR KNOWLEDGE
OF WHAT HAPPENED AT TIMES BEACH

WITH WHAT WE KNOW HAPPENED
IN VIETNAM

AND THEN DO CAREFUL RESEARCH.

NARRATOR: EIGHT YEARS
AFTER THE END OF THE WAR

THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION

WAS STILL AWAITING
MEDICAL EVIDENCE

BEFORE COMPENSATING
AGENT ORANGE HEALTH CLAIMS.

PEACE MEANT YEARS OF WAITING.

AGENT ORANGE HAS BECOME
A SYMBOL OF DECEIT AND BETRAYAL.

IN 1981, NEWLY ELECTED
PRESIDENT REAGAN

SOUNDED A FRESH NOTE
OF CERTAINTY

ABOUT AMERICA'S ROLE
IN THE WORLD.

OUR FORBEARANCE SHOULD
NEVER BE MISUNDERSTOOD.

OUR RELUCTANCE FOR CONFLICT

SHOULD NOT BE MISJUDGED
AS A FAILURE OF WILL.

WHEN ACTION IS REQUIRED,
WE WILL ACT.

WE WILL MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT
STRENGTH TO PREVAIL.

IF WE DO SO
WE HAVE THE BEST CHANCE

OF NEVER HAVING TO USE
THAT STRENGTH.

NARRATOR:
THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION
SAW SOVIET-INSPIRED THREATS

TO THE NATION'S SECURITY
IN CENTRAL AMERICA

AND STEPPED UP SUPPORT

TO FRIENDLY GOVERNMENTS
IN THE REGION.

IN THE ENSUING DEBATE,
THE VIETNAM ANALOGY

WAS ASSERTED AND DENIED
AGAIN AND AGAIN.

TO TELL US THAT THIS
WILL NOT LEAD US

INTO A MASS INTERVENTION

LIKE VIETNAM

IS TO SIMPLY REPEAT THE NAIVETE

WITH WHICH WE BOUGHT THE IDEA

THAT ADVISORS WOULD NOT
GET US INTO TROUBLE IN VIETNAM.

LET ME SAY TO THOSE
WHO INVOKE THE MEMORY OF VIETNAM

THERE IS NO THOUGHT OF
SENDING AMERICAN COMBAT TROOPS

TO CENTRAL AMERICA.

THEY ARE NOT NEEDED.

(APPLAUSE)

THEY ARE NOT NEEDED

AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
REQUESTED.

ALL OUR NEIGHBORS ASK
IS ASSISTANCE IN TRAINING

AND ARMS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
WHILE THEY BUILD A BETTER

FREER LIFE.

THE ADMINISTRATION
FUNDAMENTALLY MISUNDERSTANDS

THE CONFLICT

IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

WE CANNOT FOUND IMPORTANT POLICY

ON IGNORANCE.

MANY OF OUR HIGHEST OFFICIALS

KNOW AS LITTLE
ABOUT CENTRAL AMERICA

AS WE KNEW ABOUT INDOCHINA.

WHY NOT SAY, CATEGORICALLY

THAT CENTRAL AMERICA WILL NOT BE
ANOTHER VIETNAM

THAT YOU WILL NOT
IMPOSE U.S. TROOPS

IN CENTRAL AMERICA?

THERE ARE SOME THINGS

I CAN MAKE EVERY ASSURANCE

THAT WE HAD NO SUCH PLANS,
WE HAD NO DESIRE

NOR DO THE COUNTRIES DOWN THERE
WANT US INVOLVED IN THAT WAY.

BUT I USE AN EXPRESSION
THAT HAS BEEN USED BY PRESIDENTS

LIKE FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT
AND OTHERS:

A PRESIDENT
SHOULD NEVER SAY "NEVER."

SINCE VIETNAM CONGRESS HAS
PASSED A WAR POWERS ACT.

IF THE PRESIDENT DECIDES
TO COMMIT AMERICAN FORCES

ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD

HE MUST HAVE SUPPORT OF CONGRESS

HENCE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

WITHIN 90 DAYS

OR HE CAN BE REQUIRED
TO WITHDRAW THOSE FORCES.

I DON'T THINK WE WILL
EVER AGAIN WITNESS THE DAY

WHEN THE CONGRESS IS PREPARED

TO GIVE THE PRESIDENT

CARTE BLANCHE

WHEN IT COMES TO THE RUNNING
OF AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY.

NARRATOR:
AN AMERICAN ADVISOR IN HONDURAS

PASSES ON HIS VIETNAM LEGACY.

NARRATOR: THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN
THAT AMERICA MIGHT TAKE ACTIONS

WITH UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES

IN COUNTRIES LIKE VIETNAM.

BUT ALSO THAT AMERICA
MIGHT ABSTAIN

OUT OF FEAR OF ANOTHER VIETNAM.

AMERICAN TROOPS HAVE AGAIN
BEEN SENT ABROAD.

THEIR LEADERS DESCRIBE
THEM AS IMPROVED.

THE PEOPLE WE HAVE TODAY
ARE VERY HIGH-CLASS

YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.

STARTING WITH OUR OFFICER CORPS

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ATTRACT
HIGH QUALITY YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN

INTO R.O.T.C.

WE HAVE ALMOST ALL HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATES.

ONE REASON IS THE ECONOMY.

ALSO, THE MILITARY IS NOT
OUT OF FAVOR TODAY.

AND THE PRESIDENT'S
SUPPORT FOR THE MILITARY.

NARRATOR: TODAY'S MILITARY

WAS NOT BORN

WHEN THE MARINES
FIRST LANDED IN VIETNAM.

THEIR FATHERS' VIEW OF THE WORLD
RECALLED MUNICH

AND HOW AUSTRIA, CZECHOSLOVAKIA,
POLAND AND THE REST OF EUROPE

FELL LIKE DOMINOES
BEFORE THE NAZIS.

THEY LED AMERICA INTO VIETNAM.

THE YOUTH OF THE 1960s
ARE THE VIETNAM GENERATION.

WHETHER THEY FOUGHT THE WAR
OR FOUGHT AGAINST IT

THEY CAN NEVER FORGET IT.

IT WAS A SITUATION

WHERE A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE

HAD TO BEAR THE PRICES

AND NOBODY ELSE HAD TO DO
ANYTHING

BUT WATCH IT ON TELEVISION.

THE PEOPLE THAT JUST TRY
TO EVADE THINGS

FOR NO REASON

EXCEPT THEIR OWN BENEFIT

LOSE SOMETHING.

THE WAR WAS NOT FOUGHT
BY THE PEOPLE OPPOSED TO IT

OR BY THEIR PEERS.

THERE WAS AN ECONOMIC INJUSTICE

SO ENDEMIC IN THIS SOCIETY

THAT IT'S REFLECTED DIRECTLY
IN WHO ENDS UP IN THE MILITARY

PARTICULARLY WHO ENDS UP
DYING IN TIME OF WAR.

I WAS HONORED TO GO.

THE INVOLVEMENT, WHETHER
RIGHT OR WRONG

I DON'T HAVE ANY REAL FEELINGS.

I JUST WANTED

TO SERVE MY COUNTRY.

WHERE THE MARINE CORPS
TOLD ME TO GO, I WENT

AND TRIED TO DO MY BEST
AND COME HOME SAFE

TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

THE PERCEPTION THAT HURTS
THE VIETNAM VETERAN

IS THAT WE LOST--

"WE" BEING THE SOLDIERS.

WE NEVER LOST ONE MAJOR
CONFLICT--INCLUDING TET.

WE KICKED THEIR BUTTS.

WE'D HAVE KICKED THEIR BUTTS
ON TO MOSCOW

IF THE POLITICIANS
WOULD HAVE LET US.

I WAS PART

OF THE FIRST DELEGATION

OF VETERANS

TO GO BACK TO VIETNAM.

TO GO BACK TO A PLACE
WHERE YOU HAVE FOUGHT A WAR--

BELIEVE ME, IT'S A PROFOUND
EXPERIENCE.

I LIKE TO THINK ABOUT VIETNAM
AS BEING FROZEN IN TIME

IN THE MINDS OF SO MANY
OF THE MEN AND WOMEN

THAT SERVED THERE
DURING THE WAR.

WHEN OUR PEOPLE THINK
ABOUT VIETNAM

THEY THINK ABOUT IT
IN TERMS OF A COUNTRY AT WAR

WITH EXPLOSIONS, WITH KILLING,
PAIN AND SUFFERING--

WITH AN AWFUL LOT OF ANGUISH.

TO GO BACK AND REPLACE
THOSE IMAGES

WITH A NEW LOOK AT VIETNAM--

TO SEE VIETNAM AS THE COUNTRY,
TO SMELL IT

TO SEE THE RICE PADDIES
AND THE TREE LINES AND HOOCHES

AND THE PEOPLE.

WHAT I CAME OUT OF THIS TRIP
TO VIETNAM WITH

WAS AN UNDERSTANDING.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING
I BELIEVE THAT WE COULD DO

IS MAKE A PEACE WITH VIETNAM.

END THE WAR.

NARRATOR:
THE VIETNAM GENERATION

TOOK A MAJOR STEP
TOWARD NATIONAL RECONCILIATION

WHEN THE VETERANS MEMORIAL
WAS DEDICATED IN NOVEMBER, 1982.

SADNESS, PAIN AND BITTERNESS
WERE OPENLY EXPRESSED.

SO WERE STRENGTH AND COMPASSION.

VETERAN:
THE WAR MEMORIAL
TO THE VIETNAM VETERANS

WAS CONCEIVED AND BROUGHT
INTO BEING

BY A SMALL GROUP OF VETERANS

WHOSE DEDICATION TO SERVE
WAS JUST AS STRONG AS EVER

BUT WHAT THEY WERE SERVING
WAS THE CAUSE OF HEALING.

VETERAN:
I TOUCHED THE NAME.

IT MAY SOUND TRITE
TO MANY PEOPLE

BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW
THAT DIED

IT MEANT SOMETHING TO ME.

THAT THAT MEMORIAL WILL BE HERE
LONG AFTER I'M GONE.

THE MEMORIAL BRINGS WITH IT
A GREAT DEGREE OF REVERENCE.

VETERAN:
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE COURSE
OF THAT WEEK IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

WAS EXTRAORDINARY.

THE RENEWED SENSE
OF THE BROTHEROD

JUST REKINDLED, IF YOU WISH,
THE UNDERSTANDING

AND THE AWARENESS AND THE NEED
TO CARRY ON IN OUR WORK

IN GETTING US TOGETHER

AND WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING,
HOPEFULLY

PREVENT ANOTHER VIETNAM
OR ANYTHING LIKE IT

FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

VETERAN:
THE CHIEF LEGACY
OF THE VIETNAM WAR

IS AN OPEN QUESTION

AND IT'S IN OUR COUNTRY'S HANDS
RIGHT NOW.

AND IT IS PRIMARILY IN THE HANDS
OF THE MEN AND WOMEN

WHO CAME OF AGE
DURING THE VIETNAM WAR YEARS.

NARRATOR:
AMERICA'S VIETNAM WAR IS OVER.

BUT IT LIVES ON
IN ALL THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED IT.

THIS, AND ALL FUTURE
GENERATIONS, WILL HAVE TO TURN

TO THIS LONG, DARK AND HARD
CHAPTER OF HISTORY

TO DEFINE THE MEANING

AND DETERMINE THE LESSONS
OF VIETNAM.

CAPTIONED BY
THE CAPTION CENTER
WGBH BOSTON