Not having much knowledge on the vietnam war, this book really opened my eyes and my heart it really made me feel something, just reading these simple letters home. Koch to serve on the new york vietnam veterans memorial commission, he edited the book dear america. Letters home from vietnam conveys the american experience in vietnam from the perspective of those who were there. New york vietnam veterans memorial commission this anthology consists of 208 letters, poems, clippings, and diary entries written by american servicemen in vietnam. Nearly forty years after the official end of the vietnam war, dear ame. 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. William dafoe, robert deniro, matt dillon, michael j. Letters home from vietnam kindle edition by edelman, bernard. The list of actors reading these letters is practically a whos who of hollywood, including. Due in part to escalating advances in military technology, twentiethcentury modern combat was exponentially more devastating than any previous incarnation. Letters home from vietnam 19671979 the twentieth century was a decade of war. 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading dear america. Dear america is a collection of letters back home from menand women in vietnam.
Themes from dear america, letters home from vietnam. You replied as i knew you would always the mother who tries to put her sons. An overwhelmingly eloquent book of the purest and most simple writing on vietnam. Letters home from vietnam for the commission, was associate producer of the peabody and emmy awardwinning film based on the book. The series was cancelled in 2004 with its final release, hear my sorrow. Without a clear purpose in vietnam, killing the enemy became the only goal. 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. The common theme of each of the writers was their sense of duty to their country despite the hardships. I was a teenageryoung adult while this war took place, and each letter reminded me of someone i knew. What piece of legislation is passed in august 1964. Based on the book of the same name, this 1987 emmy awardwinning hbo.
There were many daily hardships faced by soldiers in vietnam. Chastant hhephu bai 29 june 68 mom, today i received your letter in reply to my extension letter. In conjunction with its new exhibit remembering vietnam, the national archives will screen dear america. 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. Letters home from vietnam tv movie 1987 dear america. Dear america quotes showing 11 of 1 they tell me the letters i write to you and leave here at this memorial are waking others up to the fact that there is still. David halberstamdecades after the end of the vietnam war, dear america allows us. Letters home from vietnam as you read note the mens feelings about the war. 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. I cant tell them to my parents or darlene because they worry too much, but i tell you truthfully. Each book is written in the form of a diary of a young womans life during important events or time periods in american history.
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. These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the us. They speak of patriotism, of confidence, of new friendships. 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. From the first impressions of troops newly arrived in country to the agony of losing a friend in battle, these letters from over 100 men and women stationed in. What reason do some soldiers give for fighting vietnam. 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 5 william broyles jr. Contains letters and poems written to families and friends by soldiers. When do the first american combat troops arrive in vietnam. This emotional and powerful film takes the viewer through the war from optimistic beginning to seeds of doubt to the bitter end and a postscript with the dedication of the vietnam memorial.
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. 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. It would be hard to imagine a more powerful documentary on the vietnam war than dear america. New york vietnam veterans memorial commission this collection of letters, poems, and petitions from the front, written mostly by infantrymen to their families and friends, evokes the mingled emotions of an intense longing for home, fear, hope. This is a poignant collection of letters and poems. 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. 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. Letters home from vietnam documentary screening january 18 press release wednesday, january 10, 2018 washington, dc. Letters home from vietnam 19671979the twentieth century was a decade of war. Dear america questions dear america letters home from. Letters home from vietnam 1967 1979the twentieth century was a decade of war. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. 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 did not survive it.
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. Da is split up into 8 sections, giving the reader a decent exposure into what guys went through over there. There was an abundance of insects that bothered the soldiers and was mentioned in the documentary multiple times. Letters home from vietnam is a documentary based on the book which printed letters from the soldiers and nurses who served in vietnam. Letters home from vietnam is a 1987 american documentary film inspired by the anthology of the same title, directed by bill couturie in 1987. 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. On the soundtrack, we hear the voices of these soldiers, in the words they wrote home. Fox, mark harmon, sean penn, randy quaid, martin sheen, robin williams, and more. Letters home from vietnam was first telecast april 3, 1988, over the hbo cable service. 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.
Due in part to escalating advances in military technology, twentiethcentury modern combat was exponentially more devastating. Due to the overwhelming response to the commissions request for letters, dear america. Letters home from vietnam by bernard edelman online at alibris. Edelman in a 1985 book range from dry to maudlin to poetic to bitter and.
Dear mom and dad, doting fathertobe, peach and fuzzy. Dear america is a series of historical fiction novels for older girls published by scholastic in 1996. Using real letters written by american soldiers which can be read in the book along with many more and archive footage, the film. Most vets dropped the 19 when it came to their years over there. Growing pains amid the calamity of vietnam are lifted from soldiers letters home and channeled into the film dear america, letters home from. English text summary notes dear america letters home. Some themes from dear america, letters home from vietnam.
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. The book, which simulates a tour of duty in vietnam, offers context for the excerpts of the letters and poems selected for. And then gradually the tone of their letters begins to change. 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. The bestselling book and basis for the emmy awardwinning documentary letters read by robert deniro, robert downey jr. Most are a page or less, and they give a vivid insight into attitudes of the men there, though possibly selfcensored to put the authors in a better light. Consisting of 208 letters, poems, and journal entries written by 125 people, this book is a heart wrenching, first hand account of the personal experiences of soldiers both on and behind the front lines in vietnam, and. Since your last letter, i almost feel as if you are my sister. 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. They had no comforts and were forced to live in harsh conditions most of the time that they were there. Letters home from vietnam allows readers to witness the war firsthand through the eyes of the men and women who served there. Letters home from vietnam on thursday, january 18 at 7 p. 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. Letters home from vietnam by bernard edelman, editor w.
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