Arte TV yesterday showed the first parts of The Vietnam War by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. It also runs on PBS.
The first three parts of the ten part "documentary" are a whitewash of the motives of the politicians who sold the war to the public. The CIA's and military "deep state" machinations behind them is not investigated but covered up.Moroever, some of the salient facts are still classified, like who knew what when and what was kept from view.
I would categorize works of this type as legend. The bulk of history is legend. Legend is factually based to some degree, but the story is stylized, often highly so.
Moon of Alabama
"The Vietnam War" - Documentary Or Epic Of Fiction?
"Retaliation" for the Gulf of Tonkin incident.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm sure that Ken Burns (and what's-the-other-person's name?), like the American war planners in Vietnam -- well,they meant well :(
Btw, Tom, it's incredible how Colby gave a guy he knew nothing about, Douglas Valentine, full access to interview hia CIA agents. The end result: The Phoenix Program)
Valentine explains what actually happened to bring it about.
ReplyDeleteThe Truth Perspective: Interview with Douglas Valentine: The CIA As Organized Crime
Sott.net