Vietnam: An American Journey

Human rehabilitation -- a Center for the Redignification of Women who had been wartime prostitutes, a center to treat drug addicts, an orphanage with U.S.-Vietnamese children, a physical rehabilitation center for patients who lost limbs from post-war land mine detonations

Physical rehabilitation -- a Swedish pulp mill project, a French-sponsored bicycle factory, a UN project to rebuild the war-damaged palace at Hue

Cultural events -- dramatic opera, humorous circus performers, patriotic ballet, solo musicians, visits to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, a War Crimes museum

Work -- in factories, markets and rice paddiess

Side trips to a UN refugee camp for Cambodians who fled to Vietnam to escape Pol Pot, exclusive interviews with government officials and ordinary Vietnamese also are part of this historic film. Wartime action is intercut with today's Vietnam. Many locations had never been filmed before.
A real portrait of a nation we can never forget.

"In addition to all the scenes and faces...one can also catch a glimpse of the beautiful Vietnamese rural landscape with exquisite traditional music in the background. The video reflects the sense of confidence and optimism of the regime in the first few years after its victory. A subtle plea for reconciliation...and normalization of diplomatic relations with Vietnam." —Indochina Institute Report, George Mason University

ABC, CBS and NBC all declined to back my making this film. Soon after I returned to the US, CBS News asked to license footage from it. Initially PBS was interested but the official there who planned to get it aired, left before the arrangements were finalized and his successor had no interest in it.