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BigmanPigman

(54,849 posts)

6. I have been interested in Vietnam ever since I saw Apocalypse Now

Reply to question everything (Original post)

Sun Sep 17, 2017, 10:44 PM

Sep 2017

and decided to write my senior high research paper about it. I became a teacher and ended up teaching in Asian areas of my San Diego school district and became friends with many students' families and was invited to so many personal and social occasions over the past 20 years. I was given my first balut (an 18 day old fertilized duck or chicken egg) by a parent for a lunch treat. YUM! I have only wonderful thoughts and memories from my time spent with them. Many of the parents still do not speak English and my students would translate during parent teacher conferences. It was strange that I often knew more about the Vietnam War then they did.

I am thoroughly enjoying The new PBS series and am glad to hear Peter Coyote narrating it. He was a Digger in San Francisco during the 60s so I am pleased to hear his voice narrating the series.

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Watched the first installment of Ken Burns' The Vietnam War [View all] question everything Sep 2017 OP

"still having a hard time wrapping any logic explanation around it". GP6971 Sep 2017 #1

I agree you and your wife. riverbendviewgal Sep 2017 #2

I grew up with this war and it was the "Domino Effect" LeftInTX Sep 2017 #3

Yes, it was. Two-word foreign policy. nt marybourg Sep 2017 #57

Like Iraq, VN wasn't a threat to us - Just a place to kill innocent Asians (Muslims) with our bombs. Hoyt Sep 2017 #4

Muslims? left-of-center2012 Sep 2017 #30

Jeeez -- Muslims refers to Iraq. We were killing Asians in Vietnam. Muslims refers to Iraq where Hoyt Sep 2017 #33

Ken Burns show is about Vietnam left-of-center2012 Sep 2017 #43

Nope, quit reading pointing at each word. I stated that VN, like Iraq, were just exercise in killing Hoyt Sep 2017 #44

"quit reading pointing at each word" left-of-center2012 Sep 2017 #45

You did note the use of parenthesis? Probably not the best way to convey the idea. retread Sep 2017 #46

"we were also just bombing people because they weren't European" EX500rider Sep 2017 #59

WWII was the last legitimate war. You gonna tell us how Vietnam and Iraq were legitimate wars? Hoyt Sep 2017 #60

Didn't bring up legitimacy... EX500rider Sep 2017 #62

We bombed VN because we could and they were Asians, sorry. Same for Iraq, but they were Muslims. Hoyt Sep 2017 #64

1st, we could bomb any country if it's because "we could"... EX500rider Sep 2017 #65

Do you seriously think people in N or S Vietnam wanted us there napalming women and children? Hoyt Sep 2017 #67

Did the S Vietnamese want us there helping keep out N Vietnam? EX500rider Sep 2017 #69

It seems Wiki's Buddhist number is too high dalton99a Sep 2017 #36

I've got it recorded SHRED Sep 2017 #5

I have been interested in Vietnam ever since I saw Apocalypse Now BigmanPigman Sep 2017 #6

Love Peter Coyote narrating it as well........ a kennedy Sep 2017 #12

That is very thoughtful and kind. Much appreciated! BigmanPigman Sep 2017 #70

While Apocalypse Now has been the definite movie about the early days of the war question everything Sep 2017 #41

yes, we never should have "given" the French back Vietnam. That was the big mistake. Warren DeMontague Sep 2017 #7

It was ALL about the Cold War. same with Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia , Latin America ETC JI7 Sep 2017 #8

Did they mention SEATO? JFK and LBJ saw it as crucial bluepen Sep 2017 #9

I don't remember that being mentioned, but... SMC22307 Sep 2017 #19

When JFK was considering running for Congress, in 1947 question everything Sep 2017 #42

I have a buddy who says we were there for oil. philly_bob Sep 2017 #10

I have heard that too. AnotherDreamWeaver Sep 2017 #16

I thought it was rubber for Michelin. muntrv Sep 2017 #55

Fear of communism Beringia Sep 2017 #11

If he doesn't talk about rubber his history will be incomplete jmowreader Sep 2017 #13

There's a clip of Nixon at a map mentioning rubber and tin. (n/t) SMC22307 Sep 2017 #20

That's good jmowreader Sep 2017 #21

Mostly the old double cross by the US, things could have been very different. Historic NY Sep 2017 #14

After WWI, Ho Chi Minh tried to communicate with Woodrow Wilson about independence from France muntrv Sep 2017 #54

They refused to meet with him.... Historic NY Sep 2017 #71

We should have cleared out like Dewey said in 1945. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #15

that really jumped out at me. mopinko Sep 2017 #31

They thought he was French: dalton99a Sep 2017 #34

Amazing how one fucking bullet can change the course of history. nt SunSeeker Sep 2017 #35

It was... 2naSalit Sep 2017 #58

A continual series of wrong turns. bluestateboomer Sep 2017 #17

I've been traveling and didn't know when this DOCU was going to be on. YOHABLO Sep 2017 #18

You can stream it. Warren DeMontague Sep 2017 #22

Link: dalton99a Sep 2017 #73

This critique is worth reading pokerfan Sep 2017 #23

Good essay! CanSocDem Sep 2017 #28

+1 leftstreet Sep 2017 #78

It must have been intense CherokeeFiddle Sep 2017 #24

So far, it looks to be a series well worth taking the time to watch. oasis Sep 2017 #25

I've said it before madokie Sep 2017 #26

Glad you made it back, madokie. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #38

Thank you madokie Sep 2017 #53

Seconded. mahina Feb 2020 #80

My Dad too, mahina Feb 2020 #79

Ho Chi Minh was a nationalist first and Communist second, as they put it Tarc Sep 2017 #27

Yep. Seems to me he only turned to the communists after everyone else told him to fuck off. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #39

It's my understanding that this is something that many people here understood too xor Sep 2017 #47

I was struck by the CIA diverting Ho Chi Minh's letters to Wilson, Trum,an and Ike The Blue Flower Sep 2017 #29

Tried to watch, but I am so tired of the cliched editing Burns employs stopbush Sep 2017 #32

This message was self-deleted by its author BannonsLiver Sep 2017 #37

Perhaps. But I thought that he provided important historical background question everything Sep 2017 #49

It will change zipplewrath Sep 2017 #63

I thought it was first-rate. Looking forward to the entire series. Paladin Sep 2017 #40

Spoiler Alert:. The Vietnamese won. AngryAmish Sep 2017 #48

There was a member of Congress, do not remember who, suggesting that we should have just question everything Sep 2017 #50

That should have been done 15 years ago. AngryAmish Sep 2017 #51

Not really metalbot Sep 2017 #68

Kept thinking of Pinboy39er, and my Dad. mahina Sep 2017 #52

The USA had an opportunity to work with Ho right after The_Casual_Observer Sep 2017 #56

The Vietnamese were pressing for freedoms as early as the Versailles Treaty. LanternWaste Sep 2017 #61

The intricacies and complexity is astounding loyalsister Sep 2017 #66

Burns did an excellent job elucidating the genesis of the debacle dalton99a Sep 2017 #72

I lived through that time and it is excellent so far Bradshaw3 Sep 2017 #74

I remember Sheehan's book. I think that he had to fight the CIA to publish question everything Sep 2017 #75

At the time, fairly or unfairly, a lot of Diem's nuttiness was being blamed on his first lady Warpy Sep 2017 #76

From watching the 3rd episode Beringia Sep 2017 #77