The memorial was to be a glassblock structure etched with excerpts of letters sent to and from servicemen during the vietnam war. More than 200 letters home from vietnam era servicemen to family, friends, and others have been selected for publication in this volume about the most intimate thoughts of the soldiers who served in vietnam. In conjunction with its new exhibit remembering vietnam, the national archives will screen dear america. In this collection of more than 200 letters, they share their first impressions of the rigors of life in the bush, their longing for home and family, their emotions over the conduct of the war, and their ache at. Nearly forty years after the official end of the vietnam war, dear america allows us to witness the war firsthand through the eyes of the men and women who served in vietnam. And then gradually the tone of their letters begins to change. This download is intended to support the hbo film dear america.
What reason do some soldiers give for fighting vietnam. Without a clear purpose in vietnam, killing the enemy became the only goal. Using real letters written by american soldiers which can be read in the book along with many more and archive footage, the film. Eloquent, gutwrenching letters from american men and women stationed in vietnam paint a poignant picture of wars agonies and joys. Dear america letters home from vietnam 4 author notes as a collection of letters from hundreds of authors, it would be confusing and impractical, if not almost impossible, to provide notes on all of the authors. Based on the book of the same name, this 1987 emmy awardwinning hbo. By interweaving authentic letters from our men and women in southeast asia with chronological footage of events in nam and the world, the program evokes memories of the. What piece of legislation is passed in august 1964. Letters home from vietnam on thursday, january 18 at 7 p. When do the first american combat troops arrive in vietnam. Letters home from vietnam dvd this classic hbo documentary features reenactments of actual letters written by soldiers during the vietnam war. San jose mercury newslisten to these authentic voices of the vietnam war.
The film is based on actual letters that were written by the men and women who served there. Letters home from vietnam by bernard edelman, editor w. Read by dozens of actors such as harvey keitel, matt dillon, and kathleen turner, these letters show a more human story of the war than we see in most media outlets and reveal real people in real situations trying to explain or understand. Dear america letters home from vietnam 1987 l 2of2. It is a wonderful product for teachers to use when they are teaching a unit on the vietnam conflict. In 1981, six years after the official end of the vietnam war, mayor edward koch of new york city appointed a task force of twentyseven leading citizens of the city to develop a framework for a fitting memorial to vietnam war veterans. Based on the book of the same name, the program is devoted to poignant recitations of letters to and from american participants of the vietnam war. The book, which simulates a tour of duty in vietnam, offers context for the excerpts of the letters and poems selected for. There was an abundance of insects that bothered the soldiers and was mentioned in the documentary multiple times.
Letters home from vietnam documentary screening january 18 press release wednesday, january 10, 2018 washington, dc. On the soundtrack, we hear the voices of these soldiers, in the words they wrote home. Based on the book of the same name, this 1987 emmy award winning hbo documentary features actors and actresses reading actual letters home from men and women serving in the vietnam war. You replied as i knew you would always the mother who tries to put her sons. All the confusion, pain, despair, and even hope of the men and women who served in vietnam is captured in dear america. For what its worth, vietnam war by callum johnston. Letters home from vietnam is a 1987 american documentary film inspired by the anthology of the same title, directed by bill couturie in 1987. This gripping documentary of the vietnam war begins with the kennedy administration and extends through the return of the first mias in the mid 1970s. Letters home from vietnam movie script by richard dewhurst on.
Dear mom and dad, doting fathertobe, peach and fuzzy. Decades after the official end of the vietnam war, dear america. Dear america letters home from vietnam part 1 8 youtube. Letters home from vietnam was compiled from the letters and. I was a teenageryoung adult while this war took place, and each letter reminded me of someone i knew. More than twentyfive years after the official end of the vietnam war, dear america allows us to witness the war firsthand through the eyes of the men and women who served in vietnam. Due to the overwhelming response to the commissions request for letters, dear america. Letters home from vietnam was compiled entirely from the avalanche of letters and poems received by the commission for consideration to be included on the memorial. Download a print friendly version of this day trip here. The film was shown in theaters throughout europe and asia. Letters home from vietnam for the commission, was associate producer of the peabody and emmy awardwinning film based on the book. Koch to serve on the new york vietnam veterans memorial commission, he edited the book dear america. Though many of these letters evoke tears, edelman has avoided sentimentality in favor of immediacy, vivid details, and insights dear america is a work of art.
Using real letters written by american soldiers which can be read in the book along with many more and archive footage, the film creates a highly personal. Letters home from vietnam, a gift shop and exhibits. Dear america letters home from vietnam soundtrack maggie nesset. In their letters there is a sense of wonder at this new world they have found, a world so different from the american cities and towns they left behind. They speak of patriotism, of confidence, of new friendships. France, french polynesia, germany, ghana, gibraltar, greece, greenland, grenada. Letters home from vietnam was first telecast april 3, 1988, over the hbo cable service. Letters home from vietnam tv movie 1987 dear america.
In each case, a famous celebrity voice martin sheen, michael j. Mcgowan theater, washington, dc based on the book of the same name, this 1987 emmy award winning hbo documentary features actors and actresses reading actual letters home from men and women serving in the vietnam war. More than 25 years after the official end of the vietnam war, dear america allows readers to witness the war firsthand through the eyes of the men and women who served there. Letters home from vietnam also was released theatrically, on 49 screens in the united states and canada in september 1988, a rarity for any film that has been made for cable. Letters home from vietnam as you read note the mens feelings about the war. Letters home from vietnam, the hbo movie now being released theatrically, is the first film about vietnam to come to us free of bias, free of rhetoric.
Some themes from dear america, letters home from vietnam. The awkward moment when cheryl cole gets rejected from america. Emmywinning documentary in which hollywood stars read letters written by american soldiers during the vietnam war. There were many daily hardships faced by soldiers in vietnam. The common theme of each of the writers was their sense of duty to their country despite the hardships. Dear america letters home from vietnam soundtrack youtube. Bernard edelman, a vietnam veteran who was an associate producer of the film and also edited the companion book for the new york vietnam veterans memorial commission, will. Dear america questions dear america letters home from. Archive footage of the war and news coverage thereof, augment the firstperson narrative by men and women who were in the war, some of whom. They come to us after the journalists, the generals, and the politicians have had their say. Dear america takes only 84 minutes to relate americas 10year quagmire. Themes from dear america, letters home from vietnam. Letters home from vietnam conveys the american experience in vietnam from the perspective of those who were there.
Dear america letters home from vietnam part 1 8 by royalfool1195. Nearly forty years after the official end of the vietnam war, dear ame. Chastant hhephu bai 29 june 68 mom, today i received your letter in reply to my extension letter. Using real letters written by american soldiers which can be read in the book along with many more and archive footage, the film creates a highly personal experience of the vietnam war. Dear america letters home from vietnam part 2 8 by royalfool1195. Letters home from vietnam allows readers to witness the war firsthand through the eyes of the men and women who served there. English text summary notes dear america letters home.
As i suppose you can see by my new stationery, this is not my normal letter, while walking down the road one day, in the merry, merry month of september, my squad got into a heluva fray, and lost momentarily one member. A prime cause was the german withdrawal from all fronts. France theatrical title dear america lettres du vietnam. Dear america letters home from vietnam 1987 l 1of2.
1507 1399 1540 1508 1247 270 935 1022 507 303 854 275 304 133 1116 1553 908 186 248 1313 1120 814 1511 459 1202 380 157 628 592 584 1100 464 759 1334 1464 1021 556 773 715 793 338 1073 721 1466