Vietnam: The Soldiers' Story: Tet: The Battle for Hearts and Minds

The irony of the Tet Offensive is that U.S. troops won the military victory but lost the "public relations" battle. From the Viet Cong attack on the U.S. embassy during the Tet (Lunar New Year) cease-fire to the horrific photo of Gen. Nguyen Van Luan's executing a bound Vietnamese prisoner at point-blank range, to the V.C. massacre of civilians at Hue, things that went more-or-less right for our troops shocked and appalled American citizens and fueled new anti-war fervor at home. One of a series of six episodes (being released as a 3-tape set), which aired on TLC this past October, Tet: The Battle for Hearts and Minds includes film and video footage of the events above and interviews with soldiers who were there, as well as with Vo Suu, the NBC photographer who took the photo of Gen. Nguyen which hit front pages worldwide within hours. Narrated by ABC News correspondent Jack Smith (himself a Vietnam veteran), this is a good overview of the bloodiest year of the war. Recommended. The other episodes in the series are: Ambush! The Battle of Ia Drang, Under Siege at Khe Sanh, War in the Skies, Last Chopper Out: The Fall of Saigon and Secret Wars, Secret Men. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Reagan)