Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with Harry McPherson, 1981
- Raw Footage
- Interview with Harry McPherson, 1981
- Producing Organization
- WGBH Educational Foundation
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip-15-k649p2xh7b
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip-15-k649p2xh7b).
- Description
- Series Description
- This 13 part series covers the history of Vietnam from France's colonial control, through the 1945 revolution, to the 1975 U.S. evacuation from Saigon and the years beyond. The series' objective approach permits viewers to form their own conclusions about the war.
- Raw Footage Description
- Harry McPherson served as Special Counsel to LBJ from 1965 to 1969 and was Johnson's chief speechwriter from 1966 to 1969. McPherson begins the interview by recalling the conflicted mood at the White House following the Tet Offensive. The optimism found in military cables and official information clashed with televised images showing the nation that the war was resulting in massive loss of human life and that a prisoner could be shot at point-blank range. He also talks about the concerns LBJ had that the Vietnam War might escalate into a world war and that the goal was not to destroy North Vietnam but rather to keep them contained and not overthrow the government in South Vietnam. He ends the interview with a personal sketch of President Johnson, a complex and tragic figure.
- Date
- 1981-04-23
- Date
- 1981-04-23
- Asset type
- Raw Footage
- Subjects
- United States--History--1945-; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Personal narratives, American; Military history, Modern--20th century; Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Media type
- Moving Image
- Credits
-
-
Producing Organization: WGBH Educational Foundation
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
-
Identifier: cpb-aacip-c8e028e89dc (unknown)
Format: video/mp4
Generation: Proxy
If you have a copy of this asset and would like us to add it to our catalog, please contact us.
- Citations
- Chicago: “Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with Harry McPherson, 1981,” 1981-04-23, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed September 2, 2025, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-k649p2xh7b.
- MLA: “Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with Harry McPherson, 1981.” 1981-04-23. American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. September 2, 2025. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-k649p2xh7b>.
- APA: Vietnam: A Television History; Interview with Harry McPherson, 1981. Boston, MA: American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-k649p2xh7b