11 episodes

A podcast guide to "The Vietnam War," the new documentary from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Washington Post Opinion columnist Alyssa Rosenberg breaks down each episode of the film with Burns and Novick themselves, getting the story behind the stories, and grappling with the lessons the United States learned -- and failed to learn -- in Vietnam and at home. Listen after you watch each episode of "The Vietnam War" for a new perspective on how the film was made and what it all means.

The American War The Washington Post

    • History
    • 3.8 • 4 Ratings

A podcast guide to "The Vietnam War," the new documentary from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Washington Post Opinion columnist Alyssa Rosenberg breaks down each episode of the film with Burns and Novick themselves, getting the story behind the stories, and grappling with the lessons the United States learned -- and failed to learn -- in Vietnam and at home. Listen after you watch each episode of "The Vietnam War" for a new perspective on how the film was made and what it all means.

    Preview: 'The American War,' a podcast guide to the new PBS documentary 'The Vietnam War'

    Preview: 'The American War,' a podcast guide to the new PBS documentary 'The Vietnam War'

    Over 10 episodes, host Alyssa Rosenberg will be joined by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and other collaborators on the film to discuss how America lost its way in Vietnam and how this documentary tries to help us find our way back.

    • 3 min
    Episode 1: “We are possessed by a desire not to know about Vietnam.”

    Episode 1: “We are possessed by a desire not to know about Vietnam.”

    In the premiere episode of “The American War,” Alyssa talks to Ken Burns and Harvard professor Fredrik Logevall about Episode One of "The Vietnam War," discussing the stories Americans tell ourselves about what happened to our country during the Vietnam.

    • 22 min
    Episode 2: “To me, JFK was God.”

    Episode 2: “To me, JFK was God.”

    It’s easy to say now that the Vietnam War was always a doomed endeavor. But Americans who went to fight in Vietnam thought they were answering John F. Kennedy’s call to public service. Alyssa asks Ken Burns how our ideals went so wrong.

    • 22 min
    Episode 3: “We are behaving like ugly Americans.”

    Episode 3: “We are behaving like ugly Americans.”

    To truly understand what happened to America in Vietnam, Ken Burns and Lynn Novick knew they had to talk to our former opponents. Alyssa talks to Lynn about what it took to go to Vietnam and find the veterans and civilians who shared their stories.

    • 22 min
    Episode 4: “We want the dead to come back to us.”

    Episode 4: “We want the dead to come back to us.”

    Many of the Gold Star parents who lost their children in Vietnam are aging, and as they are, their stories are being lost. Alyssa finds out how Lynn Novick and Ken Burns found Jean-Marie Crocker, a Gold Star mother.

    • 22 min
    Episode 5: “I only killed one human being in Vietnam.”

    Episode 5: “I only killed one human being in Vietnam.”

    As African Americans fought for their rights at home, anti-Asian racism shaped American policy in Vietnam and became a coping tool for soldiers. Alyssa talks to Ken Burns about his career-long focus on race as a key part of the American story.

    • 20 min

Customer Reviews

3.8 out of 5
4 Ratings

4 Ratings

MK1407 ,

Major flaws. Not cool.

The Vietnam documentary itself is absolutely very important, and everyone should watch it. It’s amazing.
This podcast, though, does not live up to that level of quality.
The host speaks and asks questions like a teenager, almost unlistenable. Awful voice, just terrible, all interviewees has better voices. Elisa Rosenberg her name is, I think. Who hired this host for this important task, her father? Just an awful choice, awful voice. So sad. Wasted opportunity. But hey, dont listen to this podcast. Watch the documentary on Netflix.

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