GBH Openvault

Vietnam: A Television History; Air Strike-South Viet Nam

Part of The Vietnam Collection.

07/23/1966

1) AtoA HA LS Rear view of an A-1H flying low over a large field, pulling up as it releases a Napalm bomb which explodes in the wooded area in BG; smoke rises from an area in FG; PAN in over the fireball and pull up. VG2) AtoA HA MLS A-1H making another run releasing a Napalm bomb which tumbles down into the jungle; a ball of fire comes up from the jungle area; pull up from the area over the fireball. G3) AtoG MLS Napalm bomb exploding in the jungle; pull up from the area. VG4) AtoA MS Rear view of an A-1H in flight; PAN with aircraft as it moves in on another Napalm run; area below is flat; Napalm bomb explodes in wooded area in BG; pull up from area picking up an A-1H pulling up in the BG. G5) AtoA HA MS Rear view of an A-1H in a diving run over the target area; plane heads for the jungle area and releases a Napalm bomb and pulls up out of the scene; Napalm bomb explodes into a fireball in the jungle; pull up from the area. VG6) AtoA HA LS A-1H in flight over the jungle area; PAN with aircraft; a Napalm bomb is released by the aircraft; no explosion is seen from the bomb. F7) AtoG LS Looking down over the jungle area, an A-1H is picked up in the far BG flying very low over the jungle; no ordnance used on this run. GtoF8) AtoG MLS Bank to left over target area; camera aircraft straightens out over a canal, pulls up from the area. F9) AtoG LS Looking down over the patterned terrain; A-1H is seen momentarily at top part of scene in BG; PAN, over the green flat terrain; a bomb explodes in center of scene throwing up black smoke.10) AtoA MLS A-1H glide bombing; PAN, as the plane pulls out; a bomb explodes off to left of the canal; pull up from the area. G to F11) AtoG LS Bank to left over the target zone; A-1H is glide bombing in BG; pull up from the area; PAN to left with the bomb exploding off to right of canal; pull up again from the area.12) AtoG MLS Bank to left over terrain; A-1H comes into scene on a glide; bomb is released and plane pulls up; PAN to left as a bomb explodes directly alongside a previous hit; concussion and smoke is seen from the area; pull up from the scene. VG13) AtoG MLS Bank to left over flat terrain; PAN down over the canal; a bomb explodes at the very edge of canal throwing up a ball of black smoke; pull up from the area. VG14) AtoG MLS Bank to left, shadow of an A-1H is seen on ground below; smoke rises from the area below; pull up from the area; no ordnance seen used on run. G to F

Series

Vietnam: A Television History

Title

Air Strike-South Viet Nam

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

00:09:05

Asset Type

Stock footage

Media Type

Video

Subjects

Bombs

Airplanes

Napalm

Military aircraft

Vietnam (Asia) nation

Nationalism and communism

Air squadrons

National liberation movements

Bombing, Aerial

Jungles

Smoke

Canals

Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Locations

South Vietnam

Genres

Documentary

Topics

War and Conflict

Creators

Ellison, Richard (Series Producer)

Publication Information

NARA

Rights Summary

Public Domain Rights Holder: NARA

Citation

Chicago: “Vietnam: A Television History; Air Strike-South Viet Nam,” 07/23/1966, GBH Archives, accessed April 19, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0041A274B5E24D7BA29A37036AD3A67D.

MLA: “Vietnam: A Television History; Air Strike-South Viet Nam.” 07/23/1966. GBH Archives. Web. April 19, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0041A274B5E24D7BA29A37036AD3A67D>.

APA: Vietnam: A Television History; Air Strike-South Viet Nam. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0041A274B5E24D7BA29A37036AD3A67D