GBH Openvault

Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with R. W. Komer, 1982

Part of The Vietnam Collection.

01/25/1982

Robert Komer was in charge of the pacification project in 1966. He recalls the Vietnam War as a war without fronts, in which it was impossible tell who was winning or losing. Komer relates examples of how he was under great pressure to make calculations about the war. He describes the conflicts between civilians and military personnel, and the difficulty of getting materials in and out of Saigon. Komer explains that there were in fact two wars going on in Vietnam: the longstanding civil war and a big-unit war that involved the United States. Komer talks about working with Vietnamese refugees and the question of the success of programs enacted by the United States. He also goes on to explain the pacification process that occurred after the 1968 Tet Offensive and his belief that in the end, it was an extremely wasteful war.

Series

Vietnam: A Television History

Title

Interview with R. W. Komer, 1982

Series Description

This 13 part series covers the history of Vietnam from France's colonial control, through the 1945 revolution, to the 1975 U.S. evacuation from Saigon and the years beyond. The series' objective approach permits viewers to form their own conclusions about the war. 101--Roots of a War--Despite cordial relations between American intelligence officers and Communist leader Ho Chi Minh in the turbulent closing months of World War II, French and British hostility to the Vietnamese revolution laid the groundwork for a new war. 102--The First Vietnam War (1946-1954)--The French generals expected to defeat Ho's rag-tag Vietminh guerrillas easily, but after eight years of fighting and $2.5 billion in U.S. aid, the French lost a crucial battle at Dienbienphu--and with it, their Asian empire. 103--America's Mandarin (1954-1963)--To stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, America replaced France in South Vietnam--supporting autocratic President Ngo Dinyh Diem until his own generals turned against him in a coup that brought political chaos to Saigon. 104--LBJ Goes to War (1964-1965)--With Ho Chi Minh determined to reunite Vietnam, Lyndon Baines Johnson determined to prevent it, and South Vietnam on the verge of collapse, the stage was set for massive escalation of the undeclared Vietnam War. 105--America Takes Charge (1965-1967)--In two years, the Johnson Administration's troop build-up dispatched 1.5 million Americans to Vietnam to fight a war they found baffling, tedious, exciting, deadly and unforgettable. 106--America's Enemy (1954-1967)--The Vietnam War as seen from different perspectives: by Vietcong guerrillas and sympathizers; by North Vietnamese leaders; by rank and file; and by American held prisoner in Hanoi. 107--Tet (1968)--The massive enemy offensive at the Lunar New Year decimated the Vietcong and failed to topple the Saigon government, but led to the beginning of America's military withdrawal. 108--Vietnamizing the War (1968-1973)--President Nixon's program of troop pull-outs, stepped-up bombing and huge arms shipments to Saigon changed the war, and left GI's wondering which of them would be the last to die in Vietnam. 109--Cambodia and Laos--Despite technical neutrality, both of Vietnam's smaller neighbors were drawn into the war, suffered massive bombing, and in the case of Cambodia, endured a post-war holocaust of nightmare proportions. 110--Peace is at Hand (1968-1973)--While American and Vietnamese continued to clash in battle, diplomats in Paris argued about making peace, after more than four years reaching an accord that proved to be a preface to further bloodshed. 111--Homefront USA--Americans at home divide over a distant war, clashing in the streets as demonstrations lead to bloodshed, bitterness and increasing doubts about the outcome. 112--The End of the Tunnel (1973-1975)--Through troubled years of controversy and violence, U.S. casualties mounted, victory remained elusive and American opinion moved from general approval to general dissatisfaction with the Vietnam war. 113--Legacies--Vietnam is in the Soviet orbit, poorer than ever, at war on two fronts; America's legacy includes more than one half million Asian refugees, one half million Vietnam veterans and some questions that won't go away. Series release date: 9/1983

Duration

00:44:07

Asset Type

Raw video

Media Type

Video

Subjects

Intelligence officers

Vietnam (Republic)

Counterinsurgency

Migration and refugees

Village communities

United States. President (1963-1969 : Johnson)

Economic development

War and society

Politics and war

Civilian war casualties

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Psychological aspects

Cold War

Military intelligence

United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Terrorism

United States--History, Military--20th century

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American

Vietnam--Politics and government

Military statistics

Urban warfare

Military assistance, American

Great Britain--History, Military--20th century

Genres

Documentary

Topics

War and Conflict

Creators

Ellison, Richard (Series Producer)

Contributors

Komer, R. W. (Interviewee)

Publication Information

WGBH Educational Foundation

Rights Summary

No materials may be re-used without references to appearance releases and WGBH/UMass Boston contract. 2) It is the liability of a production to investigate and re-clear all rights before re-use in any project. Rights Holder: WGBH Educational Foundation

Citation

Chicago: “Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with R. W. Komer, 1982,” 01/25/1982, GBH Archives, accessed April 19, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_1B00E8EA98954121BD0BBB82457F1B00.

MLA: “Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with R. W. Komer, 1982.” 01/25/1982. GBH Archives. Web. April 19, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_1B00E8EA98954121BD0BBB82457F1B00>.

APA: Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with R. W. Komer, 1982. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_1B00E8EA98954121BD0BBB82457F1B00