Vietnam War: A Factual History

CUỘC CHIẾN VIỆT NAM DƯỚI CÁI NHÌN CỦA CHÚNG TÔI

(THE VIETNAM WAR THROUGH OUR EYES)

Cuốn phim The Vietnam War của hai đạo diễn Ken Burns và Lynn Novick trình chiếu năm 2017 đã gây bất mãn cho nhiều cựu chiến binh Mỹ và Việt Nam Cộng Hòa, nạn nhân cộng sản, và cộng đồng người Việt tị nạn phải bỏ nước ra đi sau cuộc chiến. Bộ phim vẫn là cái nhìn phiến diện của nhóm thiên tả, phản chiến Mỹ về chiến tranh Việt Nam.

Sau hơn 40 năm, The Vietnam War vẫn tiếp tục lập lại cái nhìn thành kiến về chiến tranh Việt Nam là điều không thể chấp nhận được! Họ đã tiếp tục bỏ qua, hoặc bóp méo tiếng nói của một trong những phe tham chiến quan trọng nhất: quân lực Việt Nam Cộng Hòa, người đồng minh bị bỏ rơi của chính phủ Hoa Kỳ.

Vì thế, cần phải có một bộ phim tài liệu với cái nhìn trung thực hơn về chiến tranh Việt Nam để đưa vào giảng dạy trong các trường học chính thống tại Hoa Kỳ nhằm hóa giải những tư tưởng sai lệch về chiến tranh Việt Nam.

Từ đó, ý tưởng thực hiện bộ phim tài liệu mang tên “Cuộc chiến Việt Nam dưới cái nhìn của chúng tôi” The Vietnam War Through our Eyes được ra đời. Bộ phim tài liệu Cuộc chiến Việt Nam dưới cái nhìn của chúng tôi, The Vietnam War Through our Eyes sẽ gồm hai tập, mỗi tập dài khoảng 45 phút.

Hai bộ phim được thực hiện với những phương tiện trợ giảng, để đưa vào giảng dạy tại các trường trung học, đại học tại Hoa Kỳ. Qua đó, thế hệ trẻ tại Hoa Kỳ- đặc biệt là thế hệ thứ hai, thứ ba của cộng đồng Người Việt Tị Nạn- có cái nhìn đa chiều, trung thực hơn về cuộc chiến tại Việt Nam.

Vì dự án này được thực hiên bởi những tổ chức phi lợi nhuận (NGO) nên Ban Làm Phim kêu gọi đồng bào cùng hỗ trợ về mặt tài chánh để thực hiện bộ phim « Cuộc chiến Việt Nam dưới cái nhìn của chúng tôi » hầu đập tan âm mưu của nhóm thiên tả đưa ra cái nhìn sai lệch về những người lính VNCH và Hoa Kỳ đã hy sinh trong chiến tranh Việt Nam để bảo vệ nền tự do dân chủ.

Muốn đóng góp cho việc thực hiện bộ phim, có hai cách :

• Đồng hương ở khắp nơi trên thế giới có thể đóng góp online, bằng cách nhấp vào đây: https://www.gofundme.com/vn-war-videos-teaching-aid

• Đối với quí khán thính giả của Đài Truyền Hình SBTN không quen với việc đóng góp online, có thể gởi ngân phiếu tới địa chỉ của Đài Truyền Hình SBTN:

SBTN – PO BOX 127 GARDEN GROVE, CA 92842

Trên ngân phiếu, ghi rõ chi cho (Pay to the order of) VVFH, dưới phần memo ghi tài trợ cho dự án phim tài liệu chiến tranh Việt Nam.

Bộ phim « Cuộc chiến Việt Nam qua cái nhìn của chúng tôi » sẽ đặt lại vị trí xứng đáng cho những người lính đã hy sinh vì một thế giới Tự Do Nhân bản.

Having watched the 15 hour documentary by Ken Burns, The Vietnamese American community was disappointed, distressed, heart-broken, horrified, and outraged. Mr. Burns, a well-known producer of historical documentaries, has admitted in many interviews that before he started working on this project, knew very little about the Vietnam War, and what he did know was wrong. Burns has done nothing but rehash a one-sided version that the War was unnecessary, immoral, illegal, unwinnable, and a waste of lives and money. Ken Burns' in his sole discretion not only selectively chose people to be interviewed but also selectively edited the interviews, highlighting North Vietnam’s heroic actions. South Vietnam’s struggle for freedom and independence from the North’s invasion, and the stories of the American soldiers who understood what was at stake for the Republic of Vietnam, were once again brushed aside. Ken Burns merely validated the Western myth. The voice of the Republic of Vietnam, an independent nation, and her 20 million citizens, has yet to be heard. Even Mr. Huy Duc, one of the movie’s advisers and a former North Vietnamese military officer and journalist, concluded that "This (movie) is still about the American War. Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, have dug into the inner causes of America’s involvement and defeat, but have still only scratched the surface from the Vietnamese side, especially the Communist side of Vietnam; there still is another opportunity for another film, the real Vietnam War.”

Most documentaries and films on the Vietnam War portray the Western perspective of producers who are primarily interested in how the war has affected Americans and Western history. Our production, supported with interviews and historical footage, will provide a fresh perspective and help America better understand what happened in Vietnam. The Vietnam War Through Our Eyes will present the war and its aftermath from a South Vietnamese and American Vietnam Veterans’ perspective, and how it has affected the lives of those people and will continue to affect them for many years to come. The Republic of Vietnam, its people, its military, and their struggle to stand as an independent nation, free from invasion by the Communist North and Chinese allies, was every bit as real.

Your support will go toward producing:

TWO 45 minute videos available to all schools throughout America, and

TWO extended versions of the school videos will be publicly released.

VIDEOS OUTLINE (subject to change)

Abbreviated history of communism's brutal expansion throughout the world during the 20th century. For the audience to fully understand the plight of the Vietnamese people, they must understand the concept, origin, rise and worldwide expansion of communism preceding the Vietnam War.

Abbreviated history of Vietnam to 1954. Americans for the most part do not know the true heritage or the culture of Vietnam. Through the media and Hollywood they have a distorted view. People like John Kerry stating that “all the Vietnamese want to do is grow rice” are far from the truth and condescending. We will present the rich and diverse history of Vietnam emphasizing the culture, democratic ideals, and their continual struggle for independence that has existed for more than 1,000 years.

The contrasting economic and political progression between North Vietnam and South Vietnam from 1954 to 1964 including the Geneva Conference and the SEATO Treaty. In 1954 a million or more North Vietnamese fled to the South. The Communists closed their borders and then repeatedly committed brutal purges of their own people resulting in widespread famines. Meanwhile the South began to prosper. Under President Diem, the economy of the South began doing so well that they started to export rice and other products throughout the world. In the late 1950s, the North, with the intention of conquering the South, silently infiltrated the South with communist agents intent on undermining the economy and terrorizing the people. President Diem repeatedly refused to allow American troops into Vietnam, only wanting American military aid and advisers. After President Diem was assassinated, American ground troops entered the war.

1965 to 1969 – Entry of American Ground Troops into the War including the start of America's Vietnamization Program. American troops led the fight against North Vietnam’s invasion. South Vietnamese troops were armed by the US but only with World War II-issue weapons, while the VC and NVA were equipped with modern weapons by the USSR and China. Also, examined are the effects on troop and civilian morale of a military strategy that only allowed fighting a defensive war against the communist invaders. Being unable to carry the fight into North Vietnam, Laos, or Cambodia resulted in a prolonged war that turned into a US occupation, giving the Communists opportunities to infiltrate South Vietnam's military, government, and media. These agents were devastating to the South Vietnamese people. For example, the enemy often knew about military plans before the start of combat operations resulting in failures and unnecessary casualties.

1970 to 1975 – South Vietnam resumes lead in war as American withdraws troops and aid. Paris Peace Accords and broken promises lead to South Vietnam’s defeat. As America pulled back from the war, the full burden fell to South Vietnam as they had to fight not only North Vietnam but also their Chinese and Soviet allies. Highlighted is the 1972 major NVA invasion that resulted in a great South Vietnamese victory. Due to North Vietnam committing nearly all of its military resources to this invasion, the North was left virtually defenseless. This could have been the end of the war if it was followed up by an attack on the North. The tragedy of the Paris Peace Accords and broken promises are also examined.

Post 1975 South Vietnamese life in the aftermath of the war. While South Vietnamese lives were devastated by defeat and the loss of their country, in New York’s Central Park, more than 50,000 people celebrated the communist victory. The media downplayed or ignored the great tragedy of the millions of refugees, the re-education camps and the executions taking place in Vietnam. Through firsthand accounts, the audience will learn of the drastic changes in the South Vietnamese schools, economy and everyday life after the war.

US Media portrayal of the War and South Vietnamese. The reporting of the US Media is closely examined for its biases and inaccuracies that greatly affected the outcome of the war and the perception of the Vietnamese people. People like John Kerry stating that “all the Vietnamese want to do is grow rice” are far from the truth and condescending.

Today's Vietnamese American Community. We will highlight the successes of the Vietnamese in the USA and showcase their love for America and respect for the Americans who fought with them in the war.

PUBLIC RELEASE VIDEOS

Extended versions of both videos will be released to the public via multiple international outlets including Amazon Prime Video. These extended versions will be modified to reach a wider and more diverse audience.

THE TEAM

The production is a JOINT effort between Vietnam Veterans for Factual History (VVFH), Immigrant Refugee Cultural Center (IRCC), Saigon Broadcasting Television Network (SBTN), and My-Van Films Studio. Everyone is a volunteer, and donations go solely to the actual projects themselves.

Vietnam Veterans for Factual History (VVFH) is an American educational group dedicated to promoting a balanced, factual history of the Vietnam War. Founded in 2014, the group is a not-for-profit project of the Radix Foundation, a 501(c) (3) organization based in Texas. Members of VVFH include World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and recent war veterans, former officers, noncommissioned officers, enlisted personnel, and employees of the Marine Corps, Navy, Army, Air Force, CIA, Special Forces, U.S.A.I.D. as well as non-veteran civilians with a serious intellectual interest in the factual history of the Vietnam War. Among its distinguished members is Army Major General Patrick Brady, a Medal of Honor recipient, and the author of several books on various aspects of the war. VVFH has published an annual history of the war for the past four years and continues to produce annual volumes for each year of the war from 1964 to 1975. VVFH is currently involved in producing this teaching aid to educate students and the public of the objective facts and truth of the Vietnam War that the mainstream media have largely ignored, distorted, or misinterpreted. The factual history of the Vietnam war is extremely important in the present world because it was a critical turning point in the evolution of what America is today. This teaching aid is intended to inform both students and the general public of the most relevant facts of the Second Indochina War (1959 to 1975) and develop students' critical thinking skills about America's role in that complex and still controversial conflict. Through open discussion and critical thinking, students will not only gain a different perspective of the war but will also develop analytical skills that they can use throughout their lives

Immigrant Resettlement & Cultural Center's (IRCC) primary mission is to build a stronger community through providing social, cultural, and civic services that promote community inclusivity for Vietnamese immigrants/ refugees and other disadvantaged ethnicities. Established in 1976, IRCC is the very first community-based organization to serve Vietnamese immigrants/refugees in resettlement, providing access to resettlement services, such as ESL classes, job training programs, housing assistance, U.S. citizenship application assistance, and voter registration information. In 2008, IRCC established the Republic of South Vietnam & Boat People Museum in the US, focusing on the experience of Vietnamese Americans and their journey from Vietnam to the United States. Its goal is to preserve a unique history of an era that is now part of our city, our state and our country, and ensure that the courageous stories from the Vietnamese Exodus are never forgotten, especially by the Vietnamese younger generation and people in the mainstream community.

Saigon Broadcasting Television Network (SBTN) is the only 24-hour international Vietnamese language channel broadcasting on major cable and satellite providers (e.g. Direct TV, Comcast). Founded in January 2002, SBTN targets and primarily serves the Vietnamese community in the US and abroad with extensive news about both the US and Vietnam, as well as covering educational programming and daily entertainment for the whole family. SBTN has the greatest reach for all segments of the Vietnamese population and attracts audiences from first generation refugees to younger audiences born or raised in the US. Most of SBTN’s programs are produced in Garden Grove, CA. SBTN also has local affiliates in Boston, Dallas, Denver, and Washington DC.

My-Van Films Studio traces its roots back to 1952 when it was founded in Vietnam as Việt-Nam Điện-ảnh Công-ty by visionary entrepreneur Lưu Trạch Hưng. Over the years, it became a prominent player in Vietnamese cinema, producing beloved films such as "Cô gái Việt" and "Người đẹp Bình Dương." In 1975, amidst political upheaval, the studio relocated to the United States, rebranding as My-Van Films Studio in San Jose, California. Today, My-Van Films is on a mission to preserve and promote Vietnamese cinematic heritage. Specializing in the restoration and distribution of pre-1975 films, the studio ensures the longevity and accessibility of these cultural treasures. By digitizing films into 4K resolution, My-Van Films remains at the forefront of preserving Vietnam's cinematic legacy for future generations. With a commitment to quality and authenticity, My-Van Films continues to engage with Vietnamese communities worldwide, providing access to nostalgic and culturally significant films through modern formats.