Emulating the formula that worked so successfully with its impressive “WWII in HD,” the History Channel set its sights on a new generation of hero with “Vietnam in HD.” All of the trademark production values are present including actual footage shot by soldiers in battle as well as high profile actors incorporated into dramatic vocal recreations. While all of the newly filmed material looks stellar in its HD presentation, the real Vietnam filmstock quality varies depending upon the source material. It has, however been cleaned and restored to an admirable degree and many of the images (as they were culled from private sources) have not been utilized before in other Vietnam projects. This found footage provides “Vietnam in HD” a real intimacy. The six part miniseries is both a harrowing and realistic look at the Vietnam conflict as well as a fitting tribute to the men who served. While few documentaries can hope to cover every angle of this complicated situation (and I’m sure many will point out the subjects that were not covered in depth–for example, almost all focus is on ground forces), “Vietnam in HD” scores in an area that counts the most–it honors the soldiers in a very personal way.
The basic narrative presentation recounts the stories of 13 men and women, and we see the war unravel from their perspective. From soldiers, to medical personnel, to reporters, to those on the homefront–this covers a myriad of individual experiences while highlighting key components and chapters of the war itself.
Episodes:
(1) The Beginning 1964-1965, (2) Search & Destroy 1966-1967, (3) The Tet Offensive 1968, (4) An Endless War 1968-1969, (5) A Changing War 1969-1970, and (6) Peace With Honor 1971-1975.
The miniseries is narrated by Michael C Hall (Dexter) and features a large and diverse vocal cast including James Marsden, Blair Underwood, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Zachary Levi, Armie Hammer, Dylan McDermott, Dean Cain, Adrian Grenier, and Edward Burns among many others. From the build-up of troops in 1965 to the fall of Saigon a decade later, “Vietnam in HD” expertly balances the recreations (that are told through the words of those that are portrayed) and documentary footage. It is a must for anyone interested in the topic!
The best Vietnam Documentary I’ve ever seen and I’ve watched many of the Vietnam ones. I re watch it all the time it’s so good anything part of the HD series is great WW2 in HD is also excellent
Oh give it up with calling the truth ‘leftist propaganda’ will you. You’re just embarrassing. The whole world knows what the US does. Truth has a left wing bias. Sick of right wing hate and lies – look where it leads can’t you?
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What a touching documentary, the part that hit me right in the heart was when he said ”that boy is my nightmare” I cannot even fathom what these people think of every night before they close their eyes. The horror, the atrocities they went through.
If goods dont cross boarders armies will….
Good to see a Vietnam doc, that is not overtly leftist biased. Sadly the comment section looks like an antifa forum. Sad how people are easily led astray by leftist propaganda.
Anyone who looks at the Vietnam experience objectively will adopt the “leftist” viewpoint.
Forgetting about the politics, I found it striking that the Gulf of Tonkin incident was noted and left at face value and that when Col. Moore had to invoke Broken Arrow to prevent absolute slaughter, while the air support saved many that day it also led to the body count strategy (also left unquestioned in the doc) which became the only measuring tool for victory and that was a terrible measure not only because it was clear the Viet Cong had greater troop numbers and were willing to absorb losses, but the body count itself was corrupted by politics so distorted. To me, the memories and reality of the lost lives, ruined lives and post Vietnam political schism in the US, still haunt me. I am old enough to recall a US where dems and republicans disagreed but didn’t vilify each other nor associate primarily with their own kinds. My family a perfect example. Primarily replubicans but the dems were not shunned nor vilified. Just seen as people with different priorities. All the men had fought in WWII and none ever mentioned partisan politics but the bond between soldiers of wildly different backgroundsl
They didn’t tell the truth about the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Excellent post but it takes a lot of credibility away.
What the hell does some Canadian know about the “truth about the Gulf of Tonkin.” Unfortunately these people were there. You were not.
As a matter of fact Canuck is right. They left out a vital part of information in this documentary regarding the US engaging the war. There are indisputable evidence and testimonies that shows that this was all made up and that USS Maddox never was attacked. It was just a way for the US to find a way for Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which granted President Johnson the authority to assist any Southeast Asian country whose government was considered to be jeopardized by “communist aggression”.
And if you have ever been to Vietnam and talked to people there, you will get a more truthful insight about what actually went down in the “American War”. I’ve been there and I’ve read countless of books about the war, so get your facts straight before slandering people for reacting on important facts being left out.
Ya might wanta find out who Antony Sutton was and what he had to say about Communism.
Haha, Dexter was the intro voice 🙂
wow i swear this war has happened in africa, no wait, the middle east, yeah its happening now in the middle east.
I watched platoon the other day and I think its a more reealistic representation of the conflict….great actual footage, but definitely a movie that I would put in the propoganda section….scary comparisons to current conflicts too…I definitely dont blame the soldiers
Fuck the US army.
fuck you, ingrate.
What the fuck is he supposed to be grateful for?
The American War should never have happened. Left over paranoi from the reds under the bed filth years earlier. If a country on the other side of the world wants to elect a socialist government its no business of the US.
‘The US’ in this case was the usual billionaires in power and their enablers – nothing has changed. The US has attacked 40 separate countries since the end of WWII. All of them to benefit rich white scum in the US.
And look at Vietnam today – a thriving democracy. It was all BS from the start. We had no business even being there. I feel sorry for the thousands of blacks and poor kids who were forced to go and fight a senseless stupid ‘war’ to preserve their masters status. Makes me and everyone else sick to hear the extreme right try to justify this disaster. And by the war – the Gulf of Tomkin incident was faked. Every one except thick right wing Americans knows that now.
Reply to Jackmeoff- colorful name by the way…what are you 14? ….. maybe others would like to watch this documentry and judge for themselves,”replying to your turn the sound off” Documentry Heaven is providing a great free service here, if you dont like it you can always go back to your porn you have that choice. Merry Christmas
what a joke ,how did they win that battle ?many americans are so clueless and brainwashed
won the batlle..but lost the war, US killed lots of them…just that US didnt want to lose afew
good documentary, another excellent Vietnam one is First Shot found on this site.
best docu since the ten thousand day war!
I hate Christmas, too.
that was amazing viewing.
As we know, it was all a lie, admittedly so by Robert McNamara. You must watch the footage with that in mind. The young guys did not know it was a lie. They deserve no less than remembrance and respect for what they went through. Be damned the military industrial complex and their lackey politicians. It would not be the first time young men were fooled into War, it has happened how many times in the last 12 years? You know what I am saying.
don’t give me that patriotic bullshit these guys died for the military industrial complex and geopolitical interests at the time. such a biased doc…
Turn off the sound, it is shameless one-sided propaganda with many inaccuracies.
I am in complete agreement with JMO ( Nice Nick )…………but what did you expect ?
Actually it is pretty accurate…you’re just an ignorant ****
“Hearts and Minds” from 1974 was considered mainstream and it was WAY better than this crap, actually H&Ms was very unbiased and powerfully accurate.