Letters home from vietnam conveys the american experience in vietnam from the perspective of those who were there. 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. An overwhelmingly eloquent book of the purest and most simple writing on vietnam. 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. Letters home from vietnam 1967 1979the twentieth century was a decade of war. Since your last letter, i almost feel as if you are my sister.
They speak of patriotism, of confidence, of new friendships. 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. In conjunction with its new exhibit remembering vietnam, the national archives will screen dear america. What reason do some soldiers give for fighting vietnam. 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 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. The series was cancelled in 2004 with its final release, hear my sorrow. Letters home from vietnam 19671979the twentieth century was a decade of war. Letters home from vietnam by bernard edelman, editor w. I was a teenageryoung adult while this war took place, and each letter reminded me of someone i knew. Letters home from vietnam by bernard edelman online at alibris. 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.
And then gradually the tone of their letters begins to change. Edelman in a 1985 book range from dry to maudlin to poetic to bitter and. 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. English text summary notes dear america letters home. Letters home from vietnam 19671979 the twentieth century was a decade of war. 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. Letters home from vietnam tv movie 1987 dear america. Letters home from vietnam was first telecast april 3, 1988, over the hbo cable service. Dear america is a collection of letters back home from menand women in vietnam. 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. There was an abundance of insects that bothered the soldiers and was mentioned in the documentary multiple times.
The common theme of each of the writers was their sense of duty to their country despite the hardships. Letters home from vietnam is a documentary based on the book which printed letters from the soldiers and nurses who served in vietnam. Fox, mark harmon, sean penn, randy quaid, martin sheen, robin williams, and more. 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. Based on the book of the same name, this 1987 emmy awardwinning hbo. There were many daily hardships faced by soldiers in vietnam. Nearly forty years after the official end of the vietnam war, dear ame. Letters home from vietnam on thursday, january 18 at 7 p. Most vets dropped the 19 when it came to their years over there. Contains letters and poems written to families and friends by soldiers. It would be hard to imagine a more powerful documentary on the vietnam war than dear america.
Dear america letters home from vietnam 5 william broyles jr. 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. Letters home from vietnam as you read note the mens feelings about the war. When do the first american combat troops arrive in vietnam. Using real letters written by american soldiers which can be read in the book along with many more and archive footage, the film. 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. This is a poignant collection of letters and poems. Koch to serve on the new york vietnam veterans memorial commission, he edited the book dear america. On the soundtrack, we hear the voices of these soldiers, in the words they wrote 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. 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. Due in part to escalating advances in military technology, twentiethcentury modern combat was exponentially more devastating. Due in part to escalating advances in military technology, twentiethcentury modern combat was exponentially more devastating than any previous incarnation. 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. 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 mom and dad, doting fathertobe, peach and fuzzy. Eloquent, gutwrenching letters from american men and women stationed in vietnam paint a poignant picture of wars agonies and joys. Themes from dear america, letters home from vietnam. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading dear america. Letters home from vietnam kindle edition by edelman, bernard. 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. Letters home from vietnam is a 1987 american documentary film inspired by the anthology of the same title, directed by bill couturie in 1987. These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the us. 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. Chastant hhephu bai 29 june 68 mom, today i received your letter in reply to my extension letter. Letters home from vietnam documentary screening january 18 press release wednesday, january 10, 2018 washington, dc. The book, which simulates a tour of duty in vietnam, offers context for the excerpts of the letters and poems selected for.
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. 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. 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. 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. Letters home from vietnam allows readers to witness the war firsthand through the eyes of the men and women who served there. What piece of legislation is passed in august 1964. Growing pains amid the calamity of vietnam are lifted from soldiers letters home and channeled into the film dear america, letters home from. Da is split up into 8 sections, giving the reader a decent exposure into what guys went through over there. David halberstamdecades after the end of the vietnam war, dear america allows us. 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. 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.
Without a clear purpose in vietnam, killing the enemy became the only goal. Letters home from vietnam for the commission, was associate producer of the peabody and emmy awardwinning film based on the book. 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. 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. Some themes from dear america, letters home from vietnam.
The list of actors reading these letters is practically a whos who of hollywood, including. Due to the overwhelming response to the commissions request for letters, dear america. Decades after the official end of the vietnam war, dear america. They had no comforts and were forced to live in harsh conditions most of the time that they were there. Dear america questions dear america letters home from. William dafoe, robert deniro, matt dillon, michael j. 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. I cant tell them to my parents or darlene because they worry too much, but i tell you truthfully. New york vietnam veterans memorial commission this anthology consists of 208 letters, poems, clippings, and diary entries written by american servicemen in vietnam. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. You replied as i knew you would always the mother who tries to put her sons.