{"id":2206,"date":"2025-01-31T05:23:38","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T12:23:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/?p=2206"},"modified":"2025-02-10T13:21:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T20:21:15","slug":"vietnam-the-war-that-changed-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/2025\/vietnam-the-war-that-changed-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam: The War That Changed America * More Than Just An Historical Account\u2014Offers An Emotional Exploration Of This War\u2019s Human Cost"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-2207\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.poster.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"120\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.poster.png 400w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.poster-200x300.png 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 120px) 100vw, 120px\" \/>A raw, intimate look at the Vietnam War&#8217;s impact on America. Through personal stories, the series examines the conflict&#8217;s far-reaching consequences and lasting influence on society as the 50th anniversary of Saigon&#8217;s fall approaches.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ashleigh C. comments, \u201cFrom the moment the trailer begins, it is clear that\u00a0<em>Vietnam: The War That Changed America<\/em>\u00a0is more than just an historical account\u2014it\u2019s an emotional exploration of the war\u2019s human cost. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and deeply personal testimonies, the series provides a nuanced portrait of the soldiers, civilians, and activists who experienced the war firsthand.\u201d See her full review below.<\/p>\n<p>Vietnam: The War That Changed America<br \/>\nBy Ashleigh C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 20<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ashleigh C. reveals the truth behind the AppleTV+ documentary, Vietnam: The War That Changed America\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TuWagKlnmG8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2210\" style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2210\" class=\" wp-image-2210\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.b.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.b.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.b-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.b-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.b-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2210\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bill Broyles, US Marine Corps, in &#8220;Vietnam&#8221; The War That Changed America,&#8221; on Apple TV+ now.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>From the moment the trailer begins, it is clear that\u00a0<em>Vietnam: The War That Changed America<\/em>\u00a0is more than just an historical account\u2014it\u2019s an emotional exploration of the war\u2019s human cost. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and deeply personal testimonies, the series provides a nuanced portrait of the soldiers, civilians, and activists who experienced the war firsthand. The inclusion of long-awaited reunions between former soldiers, as well as perspectives from both American and Vietnamese individuals, adds an element of reconciliation and raw authenticity rarely seen in war documentaries.<\/p>\n<p>Apple TV+\u2019s compelling documentary <em>Vietnam: The War That Changed America<\/em> is a gripping six-part series, narrated by Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke, that marks the 50<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of the fall of Saigon, offering an unfiltered look at one of the most divisive conflicts in American history.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-2211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.a.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"154\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.a.jpg 880w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.a-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.a-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px\" \/>One of the documentary\u2019s greatest strengths is its wide array of voices. From Bill Broyles, a former Marine turned Hollywood screenwriter, to Hilary Brown, ABC News\u2019 first female foreign correspondent, and Melvin Pender, an Olympic gold medalist who served between deployments, the series provides a multifaceted look at the war\u2019s impact. Even more striking are the perspectives of Viet Cong fighters and Vietnamese civilians, offering a crucial counterpoint to the American narrative. These voices help construct a more complete and deeply humanized understanding of the conflict.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2208 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.d.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"229\" height=\"129\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.d.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.d-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.d-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.d-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 229px) 100vw, 229px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Director Rob Coldstream and producer Caroline Marsden craft the series with a level of detail and sensitivity that elevates it beyond a simple historical retelling. The visuals, drawn from over 1,100 hours of archival footage, immerse viewers in the reality of war, while Ethan Hawke\u2019s narration provides a steady, reflective tone that balances the intensity of the material. What makes\u00a0<em>Vietnam: The War That Changed America<\/em>\u00a0truly stand out is its ability to connect past and present. The war left scars not only on those who fought but on the entire American political and cultural landscape.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-2209\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Vietnam.c.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"229\" height=\"128\" \/>This series really shows how the Vietnam War reshaped the United States in ways still felt today, from attitudes toward military intervention to the power of protest movements. For history enthusiasts, war documentary fans, or anyone seeking a deeply human look at one of the most defining conflicts of the 20th century,\u00a0<em>Vietnam: The War That Changed America<\/em>\u00a0is essential viewing.<\/p>\n<p>I give\u00a0<em>Vietnam: The War That Changed America<\/em>\u00a05 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. It premieres on Apple TV+ on January 31, 2025.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Vietnam: The War That Changed America \u2014 Official Trailer | Apple TV+\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SBoNrZ3JXy8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A raw, intimate look at the Vietnam War&#8217;s impact on America. Through personal stories, the series examines the conflict&#8217;s far-reaching consequences and lasting influence on society as the 50th anniversary of Saigon&#8217;s fall approaches.<br \/>\nKIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ashleigh C. comments, \u201cFrom the moment the trailer begins, it is clear that Vietnam: The War That Changed America is more than just an historical account\u2014it\u2019s an emotional exploration of the war\u2019s human cost. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and deeply personal testimonies, the series provides a nuanced portrait of the soldiers, civilians, and activists who experienced the war firsthand.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[2386,2392,2393,2396,2402,2404,2385,2394,2400,2387,2401,2399,2403,2408,2388,2405,2409,2391,2407,2395,2410,2397,2406,2398,2389,2384,2390],"class_list":["post-2206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-film-critics-blog","tag-bill-broyles","tag-caroline-marsden","tag-charlotte-bairsto","tag-david-glover","tag-david-schweitzer","tag-duane-mcclunie","tag-ethan-hawke","tag-frances-beere","tag-georgina-turner","tag-hilary-brown","tag-lauren-vanderkar","tag-mark-raphel","tag-maxwell-gutteridge","tag-melanie-bines","tag-melvin-pender","tag-ran-earl-parket","tag-rebecca-lawrence","tag-rob-coldstream","tag-sam-bergson","tag-samantha-de-villiers","tag-samantha-stewart","tag-sarah-harrison","tag-stefan-wiesen","tag-trace-li","tag-viet-cong-fighter","tag-vietnam-war","tag-vietnamese-civilians"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2206","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2206"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2220,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2206\/revisions\/2220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2206"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2206"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}