VIETNAM: A TELEVISION HISTORY, NO. 9: CAMBODIA AND LAOS (TV)
Summary
The ninth in this 13-part documentary series about the Vietnam War. Linked from its conception to the book by Stanley Karnow, this series presents a historical overview of Vietnam and provides an understanding of the country and its people at war, from the period of French colonial rule through U.S. involvement in the conflict. Interspersed throughout with news footage and archival film, and drawing on exclusive interviews with French, American, and Vietnamese diplomats, military and government officials, soldiers, and civilians who provide critical analysis of the war, this documentary chronologically portrays the Vietnam war equally as a political, social, and tragic national experience for the United States.* This installment examines how Vietnam's two neighboring countries failed to preserve their neutrality during the war: Laos was bombed for eight years, and the rise in power of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia led to the starvation and massacre of over a million civilians. Former agents of the Central Intelligence Agency recount their roles in the covert war fought by the CIA in the mountains of Laos, where Hmong tribal forces were recruited to fight the North Vietnamese-backed Pathet Lao, Laos's communist party. The history of Cambodia's role in the regional crisis is chronicled by the rise and fall of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, whose struggle to maintain peace in Cambodia led to a civil war, his overthrow in a coup, and his eventual alliance with the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia's communist government.
Also in this part, survivors of the Khmer Rouge attacks recall its acts of atrocity; Khmer Republic soldiers and Cambodian civilians describe the war fought on Cambodian soil; and reaction to the U.S. invasion of Cambodia is recorded in clips of U.S. Senate hearings and in interviews with Cambodian officials and former U.S. embassy staff in Phnom Penh. Additional topics discussed include Prince Sihanouk's ouster and replacement by Gen. Lon Nol; American and South Vietnamese troops' attack on Communist sanctuaries along the Cambodian border; the U.S.'s secret bombing campaigns in Laos and Cambodia; and the Khmer Rouge takeover of Phnom Penh. Those interviewed include Earl Young of Air America; Vint Lawrence of the CIA; William Colby, head of the Phoenix Program; Henry Kissinger, former U.S. national security advisor; Lloyd Rives and Col. Jonathan Ladd, former U.S. embassy officials in Cambodia; Brig. Gen. Douglas Kinnard, U.S. Army; Dr. Joseph Murphy; Father Francois Ponchaud, a Cambodian village priest; Tong Ten, a Cambodian civilian; Sisouk Na Champassak, defense minister of Laos; Warrant Officer Sok Sarren and Capt. Peng Thuon of the Khmer Republic Army (FANK); Chhit Do, Khmer Rouge organizer; and Chhang Song, Khmer Republic minister of information. Included are clips of the following: Pres. John F. Kennedy in 1961; Pres. Richard M. Nixon; Ambassador Emory Swank; Sec. of the Air Force Robert Seamans; Adm. Thomas Moorer, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff; Sen. Stuart Symington; and Khmer Rouge party leader Pol Pot meeting with Prince Sihanouk. Acquisition and cataloging of this program was made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WGBH Boston, MA
- DATE: September 7, 1983
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:58
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T91:0137
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Vietnam War; Laos; Cambodia - History - Secret bombing - 1969-1970; Cambodia - History - Civil War, 1970-1975; U S - Officials - Talk/Interviews; Laos - Officials - Talk/Interviews; Cambodia - Officials - Talk/Interviews; Communism - 1970; Hmong (mountain tribe)
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Richard Ellison … Executive Producer
- Bruce Palling … Producer, Writer
- Martin Smith … Producer
- Will Lyman … Narrator
- Ngo Vinh Long … Translator
- Mickey Hart … Music by, Composed and performed by
- Billy Kreutzman … Music by, Composed and performed by
- Vic Firth … Music (Misc. Credits), Performed by
- Zakir Hussain … Music (Misc. Credits), Performed by
- Airto Moreira … Music (Misc. Credits), Performed by
- Merl Saunders … Music (Misc. Credits), Performed by
- Bobby Vega … Music (Misc. Credits), Performed by
- Phil Kaffel … Music (Misc. Credits), Recorded by
- Lawrence Lichty … Direction (Misc.), Director of Media Research
- Stanley Karnow … Reporter, Chief Correspondent
- Chhang Song
- Chhit Do
- William Colby
- John F. Kennedy
- Douglas Kinnard
- Henry Kissinger
- Jonathan Ladd
- Vint Lawrence
- Lon Nol
- Thomas Moorer
- Joseph Murphy
- Richard M. Nixon
- Peng Thuon
- Francois Ponchaud
- Pol Pot
- Lloyd Rives
- Robert Seamans
- Prince Norodom Sihanouk
- Sisouk Na Champassak
- Sok Sarren
- Emory Swank
- Stuart Symington
- Tong Ten
- Earl Young