The Vietnam War: A Descent Into Hell
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Carole Peters
Martin Sheen
Steve Bergson
Bill Cosmas
Phil Craig
Daniel Dewaal
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Documentary that follows the evolution of the war in Vietnam, and reveals how and why the fate of the United States became entangled in the affair. America originally supported guerrilla leader Ho Chi Minh to help fight the occupying Japanese. But once the Japanese were defeated, Cold War fear forced America to support the French occupation of Vietnam, pulling it into battle against a man whose troops they helped train and arm. This program presents oval office recordings of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson which reveal that both were misled as to the true state of affairs in Vietnam. On-camera interviews with CIA operatives reveal their role in setting up the autocratic South Vietnamese government, which terrorized the population and hardened Vietnamese sentiment against America. Following the memos, reports, and other documents, combined with interviews with participants on both sides, the program reveals how American efforts in Vietnam may have been misguided.
