There is no single truth in war.

Starring: Peter Coyote (narrator), many interviews with those in the military and government surrounding the war

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"There's no way we could avoid telling this story. Wars are so extraordinarily revealing... obviously of the worst of humanity, but as it turns out, also the best of humanity. So it's time now. The decades have passed and it's important now to go back and try to understand it." – Ken Burns

Why watch this? All wars are complex, but none more to America, than the 19 years in Vietnam from 1955 to 1975.

Documenary Summary: This documentary chronicles the origins and complexities of America's involvement in Vietnam, from early French colonial resistance to the end of the conflict. The 18-hour series delves into the political and social divides sparked by the war in both the United States and Vietnam. Through the perspectives of nearly 80 witnesses, including soldiers, protestors, and civilians from all sides.

Dad's Preview: I grew up hearing about the Vietnam War. I distinctly remember news reports listing casualty counts. Only later in life did I realize what all that meant. I knew that a lot went wrong and America seemed ashamed of it. Then I saw Platoon (1986) and realized I had considerably more to learn. In ten episodes, Ken Burns (The Civil War (1990)) and crew delve into all aspects in search of knowledge. The focus was not mainstream news reports and political talking points of the day, but rather interviews with regular people who lived through it. This detailed documentary, like the war itself, received critical acclaim and harsh negative reviews alike. "It presents the Vietnam War in far more compelling ways than I have seen from other documentaries." (Mark P. Bradley, Univ. of Chicago) "The South Vietnamese military was largely left out of the series." (Tatiana Sanchez, San Jose Mercury News. Americans (and the world) may never really understand Vietnam, but this thought-provoking, master work should keep us seeking answers.

Florentine Films, WETA, National Endowment for the Humanities; PBS