GBH Openvault

Vietnam: A Television History; James T. Smith - Province Representative - Phu Huu Hamlet - South Vietnam

Part of The Vietnam Collection.

Jeep along dusty road, stops by some villagers. Describes new life development hamlet, "responsible for building of classrooms, construction of roads. Although we, the Americans, try to stay in the background and boost the GVN, it is impossible for us to do this. We are pushed to the front and thanked for our contribution to their effort - not necessarily by the GVN officials (seen shaking hands with 2 villagers from the jeep), although they do, but by the people themselves." Shots of building work in hamlet for new school. "It is a new life development hamlet - the GVN & American program is being concentrated in this hamlet in 1967... the US government will give the money & some of the commodities, the GVN will also put some money. The people will do the work." Shots of villagers, fields, jeep along track to village. Smith walks towards buildings, more building work, kids crowding camera. "They must also find the VC element in the hamlet, identify these people and through observation determine whether they are VC or will come to the GVN... If not, turn them over to the local police to extract them from the hamlet." Talks of cadre team coming under attack from VC a few weeks after it was established, but they fought, killed VC, very proud of the team, villagers proud to have the cadre, wish they had been there before. Shots of cadre talking to old woman. Shots of family inside house, eating rice. Says they hope to form a strong democratic government by grouping the hamlets together. Shots of men playing a gambling game. Boats and water buffalo in the river.

Series

Vietnam: A Television History

Title

James T. Smith - Province Representative - Phu Huu Hamlet - South Vietnam

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

00:11:10

Asset Type

Stock footage

Media Type

Video

Subjects

Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Viet Cong

Vietnam (Republic)

Public works

Economic assistance Vietnam

Village communities

Water buffalo

Military education

Emigration and immigration

War and society

Relocation (Housing)

United States. Agency for International Development

Counterinsurgency`

Locations

Phu Huu Hamlet, Vietnam

Genres

Documentary

Topics

War and Conflict

Creators

Ellison, Richard (Series Producer)

Publication Information

USAID

Rights Summary

Public Domain Rights Holder: USAID

Citation

Chicago: “Vietnam: A Television History; James T. Smith - Province Representative - Phu Huu Hamlet - South Vietnam,” GBH Archives, accessed April 24, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_F320DA0F630243C3A28DD10FCCD8ADB4.

MLA: “Vietnam: A Television History; James T. Smith - Province Representative - Phu Huu Hamlet - South Vietnam.” GBH Archives. Web. April 24, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_F320DA0F630243C3A28DD10FCCD8ADB4>.

APA: Vietnam: A Television History; James T. Smith - Province Representative - Phu Huu Hamlet - South Vietnam. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_F320DA0F630243C3A28DD10FCCD8ADB4