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From: gmk@uicsg.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Vietnam Series on PBS - (nf)
Message-ID: <4253@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 30-Nov-83 20:55:04 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.4253
Posted: Wed Nov 30 20:55:04 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 2-Dec-83 07:47:31 EST
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#R:ihuxj:-29200:uicsg:17600013:000:3212
uicsg!gmk    Nov 30 10:04:00 1983

	Yes, "Vietnam: A Television History" does present a viewpoint
that is slightly biased toward the North and the Viet Cong. Frankly,
I'm glad. It's about time that someone has taken the responsibility
of telling Americans both sides of the story rather than depicting
ourselves as the defenders of freedom and the enemy as evil incarnate.
I think the series has done an excellent job of researching the
causes of the war (both ancient and modern) and demonstrating
how the nationalist struggle of the Vietnamese to cast off the
shackles of colonialism and foreign domination degenerated into
a long horrifying war in which unspeakable atrocities were committed
on both sides.

	It was our (and the French) opposition to Ho Chi Minh's
nationalism that drove him into the arms of the Communists in
quest of support. Unfortunately, with Moscow and Peking backing
him, and with the U.S. supporting the "democracy" in the South
both sides had the unlimited resources they needed to drag the
war on forever and devastate the country.

	It's clear from the series that Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson,
et al had no knowledge or understanding of Vietnamese history and
hence of the roots of the revolution. All that they saw was Red
and the need to score political points at home and diplomatic
points abroad by showing U.S. determination to halt the spread of
Communism. It was precisely their refusal to understand the
country and its people and history that got us deeper and deeper
into the Vietnam quagmire.

	I think the series should be applauded for finally acknowledging
the existence of the other side as something other than nameless,
faceless, Godless enemies of freedom. We certainly got enough
U.S. propaganda during the war -- perhaps if we're allowed to
hear statements from both sides, we can sort out the propaganda
and rhetoric, and find a few shreds of truth.

	While it is biased somewhat towards the North, the series
is by no means a propaganda vehicle for the Communists. Vivid
recollections of U.S. "pacification" of villages--both from the
soldiers and the survivors-- are juxtaposed with equally
horrifying tales of North Vietnamese torture of prisoners of war.
The pacification accounts are also tempered with reports on
the organization of the Viet Cong and how women and children
made significant contributions to the guerilla movement.
Thus, although we see that the Americans had every right to trust no one
and be suspicious of everyone, the wholesale slaughters were still
unjustified.

	Too often Americans are content to believe their own
rhetoric. It's easy to take a simplistic idealogical view
of the world rather than taking the time to sort out the
details of each situation and form an educated opinion.
This series serves an important function in allowing us
for the first time to understand what really happened in
Vietnam and, hopefully, to learn how to avoid it in the
future.

	While watching the first few episodes I was overcome
with an incredible sense of deja vu. The events being depicted
bore an uncanny resemblance to what is currently happening in
Central America. Are you watching Ronnie?


					Gary Koob
					University of Illinois
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