Why Vietnam?

Released in 1965, "Why Vietnam?" was produced by the U.S. Department of Defense to aid public acceptance of the Vietnam War and to indoctrinate Vietnam-bound draftees. Structured in the rhetorical tradition of the "Why We Fight" films, it draws historical parallels to World War II, depicts U.S. military activity in Vietnam, and presents official interpretations of the conflict’s origins. Later criticism by historians highlighted the film’s selective use of evidence and its distortion of key historical facts, revelations that were further underscored by disclosures in the Pentagon Papers.

Images

Cast

Adolf Hitler

Self (archive footage)

Lyndon B. Johnson

Self (as Lyndon Johnson)

Robert McNamara

Self

Dean Rusk

Self

James Arness

Narrator

Related

Naqoyqatsi

20026.2out of 10

Directed by John Ford

19717.0out of 10

The Class of ‘92

20137.1out of 10

Night Will Fall

20147.6out of 10

Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction

20136.9out of 10

To Kill a Tiger

20237.6out of 10

The U.S. vs. John Lennon

20066.6out of 10

Last Days in Vietnam

20147.3out of 10

McQueen

20187.4out of 10

A Toxic Love Story

20266.4out of 10

S4: The Bob Lazar Story

20268.3out of 10

Fuck

20066.4out of 10

More Brains! A Return to the Living Dead

20117.4out of 10

Ex Libris: The New York Public Library

20176.4out of 10

Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin

20037.0out of 10

Come See Me in the Good Light

20257.2out of 10