Must see documentaries..

Uncle Wally One Ball said:
Anyone see that doco on channel 4 last night about the daft ignorant bird from the whitest village in Cheshire who went to live with a Pakistani muslim family in Manchester for a week? It was great viewing. Every ignorant fuckwit in Britain should be made to watch it, it was brilliant.
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Tell us who made you watch it ;)
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
Been watching it this week. Great documentary and footage. Grim material though. Johnson sent those troops in like lambs to the slaughter despite him fearing the worst.
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One of the worst bits was Nixon deliberately stopping peace talks by making secret promises to the South before the American election. The South pulled out of any peace talks because if they had taken place Humphries would have won the US election. Johnson knew all about Nixon's games but because he had bugged Nixon to get the gen he could not or would not do anything. The taped conversation where Nixon denied all knowledge to Johnson of any contact with the South was shocking but also showed how low people would go to get power and to save face.
 
mayo31 said:
One of the worst bits was Nixon deliberately stopping peace talks by making secret promises to the South before the American election. The South pulled out of any peace talks because if they had taken place Humphries would have won the US election. Johnson knew all about Nixon's games but because he had bugged Nixon to get the gen he could not or would not do anything. The taped conversation where Nixon denied all knowledge to Johnson of any contact with the South was shocking but also showed how low people would go to get power and to save face.
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Yep. The tape recordings have been some of the most shocking aspects of the documentary. They knew they were on a hiding to nothing yet did nothing and wasted the lives of thousands of people.

It has been a stunning documentary series for me. Not sure what I'll do on a Monday night now!

Brutal war.
 
An Open Secret is now free on youtube, as they couldn't get anyone in Hollywood to distribute.

It's a heavy watch. Won't be going to watch Bryan Singer movies anytime soon.
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
Yep. The tape recordings have been some of the most shocking aspects of the documentary. They knew they were on a hiding to nothing yet did nothing and wasted the lives of thousands of people.

It has been a stunning documentary series for me. Not sure what I'll do on a Monday night now!

Brutal war.
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I was shocked at how far back this went. Johnson seemed out of his depth from the start and his early actions succeeded in making the enemy much stronger. Gripping stuff and what a hard set of bastards the viet cong were.
 
Vietnam was such a disaster and tragedy. Complete folly and showed who actually did the fighting and dying. War Crimes galore from every level of the US machine.

A fascinating insight into how fucked up things can get.

The one great thing though, is how we have all learned the terrible lessons and haven't embarked upon futile and costly wars ever since.

I felt so sorry for those young guys. Mostly poor, as the middle class and rich patriots preferred the working class to fight for them. As they do everywhere. But until the sibs if these families were included in the draft did any real effort to end it happen.

The Vietnamese insights were brilliant and moving. A tenacious and brave fighting force and people.

Still, look how far we have come when a four time cowardly bastard draft dodger, can become president.

He supported the war, just didn't fancy getting his tiny hands dirty.
 
Magicpole said:
Vietnam was such a disaster and tragedy. Complete folly and showed who actually did the fighting and dying. War Crimes galore from every level of the US machine.

A fascinating insight into how fucked up things can get.

The one great thing though, is how we have all learned the terrible lessons and haven't embarked upon futile and costly wars ever since.

I felt so sorry for those young guys. Mostly poor, as the middle class and rich patriots preferred the working class to fight for them. As they do everywhere. But until the sibs if these families were included in the draft did any real effort to end it happen.

The Vietnamese insights were brilliant and moving. A tenacious and brave fighting force and people.

Still, look how far we have come when a four time cowardly bastard draft dodger, can become president.

He supported the war, just didn't fancy getting his tiny hands dirty.
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My Dad did an 18 month stint out there (USAF) it definately changed his life and probably ours (family) too....not for the better. He saw some crazy shit
 
idahoblues said:
My Dad did an 18 month stint out there (USAF) it definately changed his life and probably ours (family) too....not for the better. He saw some crazy shit
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The cost paid by so many who served there didn't end when they came home. The urge to, "put Vietnam behind us" to forget, must have been such a kick in the teeth.

America always reveered its soldiers. Not in any real or actual way, but more in a way that makes people feel better about themselves, without really doing fuckall for them.

That's a global phenomenon though. It's like the useless, thoughts and prayers. Well thoughts and prayers never solved or helped any problem.
To be there and endure that and to come home and be blamed for being there was shameful.

They were sent there, they went, they fought and died and those lucky to come home were betrayed by the country. It wasn't their fault. They didn't start or continue the war.

The decisions to continue the conflict, knowing they could never win, tells us all we need to know about how much politicians love service personnel. Those decisions to me were no more than murder. They lied on an industrial scale.

The problems your family suffered due to your dad having gone through that is tragic. If he is still alive, tell him there are people across the world who respected them. Not the war, not the bullshit reasons for the war. But them. Those that had to deal with it.

I am one of those people.
 
Magicpole said:
The cost paid by so many who served there didn't end when they came home. The urge to, "put Vietnam behind us" to forget, must have been such a kick in the teeth.

America always reveered its soldiers. Not in any real or actual way, but more in a way that makes people feel better about themselves, without really doing fuckall for them.

That's a global phenomenon though. It's like the useless, thoughts and prayers. Well thoughts and prayers never solved or helped any problem.
To be there and endure that and to come home and be blamed for being there was shameful.

They were sent there, they went, they fought and died and those lucky to come home were betrayed by the country. It wasn't their fault. They didn't start or continue the war.

The decisions to continue the conflict, knowing they could never win, tells us all we need to know about how much politicians love service personnel. Those decisions to me were no more than murder. They lied on an industrial scale.

The problems your family suffered due to your dad having gone through that is tragic. If he is still alive, tell him there are people across the world who respected them. Not the war, not the bullshit reasons for the war. But them. Those that had to deal with it.

I am one of those people.
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His base got closed down when over half the personnel contracted hepatitis, he spent three months in a military hospital in Japan before coming back to the States and being spat on at the airport. the spitters were very lucky that day....the old man was a tough SOB, he's still alive, coming up to 88 years old
 
idahoblues said:
His base got closed down when over half the personnel contracted hepatitis, he spent three months in a military hospital in Japan before coming back to the States and being spat on at the airport. the spitters were very lucky that day....the old man was a tough SOB, he's still alive, coming up to 88 years old
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I'm glad to hear the old fella is still going. As for people spitting on him? If ever rage at a situation was misdirected, it has to be Vietnam. Tell him he has a new pal in Scotland.
 
Watching Vietnam on Kodi it seems there are two different versions the one on bbc4 is 10 hours long the Kodi version is 18 hours, onto episode 3 now
 
For anybody who's interested, Sam Harris interviewed the makers of the Vietnamese documentary (it took them ten years to make) on his podcast. It's number 97.
 
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