Intelligent people can disagree on the necessity of America’s involvement in Vietnam. What cannot be questioned is the honor with which the vast majority of Americans who served in Vietnam discharged their duties. War is always hell, but the depictions of American soldiers engaging in widespread raping, torturing, and killing of Vietnamese civilians by some is disgusting, and false. These soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines rose to the challenge, served honorably and never lost an engagement, then returned home to live their lives. Of course, like soldiers throughout history, some were scarred by what they lived through, but for too long we have lived with the stereotype that the typical returning veteran from Vietnam was a drugged-out loser, who could not cope with life. These veterans, like those that came before them, should be treated as what they are: heroes.
In these videos, you will find a taste of the stories of the over 500,000 American men and women, who fought in this war. Over 58,000 Americans were killed or went missing in action in Vietnam.
Vietnam War Videos
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Adrian Cronauer discusses his time in the Vietnam War. He was portrayed in the movie Good Morning, Vietnam!. In a time when military media was very boring, Cronauer broke the mold by playing the music the GIs wanted to hear and inserting his own brand of humor into the show.
Pulitzer Prize-nominated historian and Vietnam veteran Dr. Lewis Sorley discusses the war and his work. His landmark work is A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America’s Last Years in Vietnam. He is currently working on a biography of General William Westmoreland.
C-Span coverage of the American Veterans Center’s 2006 conference panel on Vietnam: The POW Experience, featuring Col. George “Bud” Day, Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier, Capt. Jack Fellowes, and Lt. Col. Anthony Marion Marshall. Moderated by Taylor Kiland, author of “Open Doors: Vietnam POWs 30 Years Later.”
Veterans of the Tet Offensive, Brig. General Michael Downs and Colonel Charles Krohn, discuss the battle on its fortieth anniversary. Downs is a recipient of the Silver Star, Distinguished Service Medal and Purple Heart; Krohn has received the Silver Star, Legion of Merit and Bronze Star with 3 Oakleaf Clusters.
Brig. General Steve Ritchie is the only Air Force ace of the Vietnam War. With more than 800 combat hours in the F-4 Phantom and 339 missions over Southeast Asia, Ritchie is the only American pilot to down five MiG-21s, the most sophisticated fighters in the North Vietnamese fleet.
The Vietnam War is one of the least understood episodes in American history. Here, author and historian Dr. Mark Moyar and military researcher and Vietnam veteran B.G. Burkett address several of the issues surrounding the war. Moyar’s works include Triumph Forsaken and Phoenix and the Birds of Prey.
The men of Landing Zone X-Ray, portrayed in the Mel Gibson movie We Were Soldiers. In this panel discussion you get to hear from the men who were in the Battle of Ia Drang, including Lt. General Hal Moore, Joe Galloway, Col. Joe Marm, Larry Gwin, Col. Ramon “Tony” Nadal, Lt. Col. George Forrest, Col. John Herren, Maj. Bruce Crandall, and Sp4 Bill Beck.
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