Veterans angry, disappointed following PBS’ Vietnam War documentary

Does anyone think that the way we fight war has changed? The Washington elite still try to control everything. VERY few of them have ever even worn a uniform.

I agree that the series gave more sympathetic coverage to the anti-war protesters (including the VVAW trash) than it gave to those of us that did our duty and tried to help the South Vietnamese fight for their freedom, but it was not as skewed to the left as I had feared it would be. It did show clearly the violence and treason of the protesters and their taking the side of the enemy during the war.

And the recordings of Johnson and Nixon were very discouraging to hear. It is one thing if these men were in over their heads and didn't know what to do - but the self-interested political deceptions and venality they exhibited were a great disillusionment to me.

On the positive side, I was very interested in the views of the VC and the NVA, as I had never heard anything from that perspective. I think they sold the ARVN very short though, and did not dwell enough on the treason of our Democrat lawmakers (especially Fulbright) in undermining our war efforts and forcing the fall of the South Vietnamese by cutting off the promised military support after we withdrew.

I don't know exactly what Ken Burns expected to accomplish with this series. If he expected to promote the healing of old wounds I think he fell well short of the mark. If he wanted to pick the scabs and bring the ugliness of the left back to life for those of us that served I think he accomplished that goal admirably.

My disgust with the left is fully refreshed.

A friend who served in-country 1966-67 was so angry at this "hit piece" on the U.S. & ARVN he quit watching after the second episode. That's what we've learned to expect from PBS.