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The American War

The American War

By: The Washington Post
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 A podcast guide to "The Vietnam War," the new documentary from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Washington Post Opinion columnist Alyssa Rosenberg breaks down each episode of the film with Burns and Novick themselves, getting the story behind the stories, and grappling with the lessons the United States learned -- and failed to learn -- in Vietnam and at home. Listen after you watch each episode of "The Vietnam War" for a new perspective on how the film was made and what it all means.© The Washington Post Art Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Preview: 'The American War,' a podcast guide to the new PBS documentary 'The Vietnam War'

    Preview: 'The American War,' a podcast guide to the new PBS documentary 'The Vietnam War'
    Sep 11 2017
    Over 10 episodes, host Alyssa Rosenberg will be joined by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and other collaborators on the film to discuss how America lost its way in Vietnam and how this documentary tries to help us find our way back.
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    3 mins
  • Episode 1: “We are possessed by a desire not to know about Vietnam.”

    Episode 1: “We are possessed by a desire not to know about Vietnam.”
    Sep 18 2017
    In the premiere episode of “The American War,” Alyssa talks to Ken Burns and Harvard professor Fredrik Logevall about Episode One of "The Vietnam War," discussing the stories Americans tell ourselves about what happened to our country during the Vietnam.
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    23 mins
  • Episode 2: “To me, JFK was God.”

    Episode 2: “To me, JFK was God.”
    Sep 19 2017
    It’s easy to say now that the Vietnam War was always a doomed endeavor. But Americans who went to fight in Vietnam thought they were answering John F. Kennedy’s call to public service. Alyssa asks Ken Burns how our ideals went so wrong.
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    23 mins
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Most relevant  
Unfortunately, the host cannot leave her political views and privilege at the door. This cheapens the impact of the film-makers and participants words and undermines her objectivity. Her questions are amateurish and her conclusions are too often made through a political or current lens. She fails to challenge the ideals and notions of the film’s creators, and thus reduces the potential relevance of her podcast.

Disappointing

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Who wants to listen to somebody whose voice is crackling with vocal fry talk to guys on the phone?

Vocal fry and guys on the phone. 'Nuff said

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