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On February 13, Vietnam Veterans of America joined the
National Geographic Society in hosting the world premiere
screening of “Inside the Vietnam War.” The reception
and screening preceded the February 18 release of the three-hour
documentary on the National Geographic Channel.
Three hundred
people—primarily VVA members—attended
the lavish reception at National Geographic’s headquarters
in downtown Washington. Afterward, attendees gathered in
the auditorium to see a 75-minute version of the film, which
featured a stunning variety of archival footage by both Western
news media and North Vietnamese military photographers.
A
standard retelling of the history of the Vietnam War was
interspersed with interviews with the men and women who fought
in that war. In the film’s full version, fifty veterans
describe their experiences and personal histories. The point,
executive producer Jonathan Towers said, was to concentrate
not on politicians and generals, but to tell the stories
of a broad spectrum of ordinary Americans who were drawn
into the conflict.
Afterward, Towers joined VVA president
John Rowan; Duery Felton, the Vietnam veteran who curates
the collection of things left at The Wall; VVA Chapter 126’s
Vince McGowan, the hero of Bing West’s book, The Village;
ex-POW Paul Galanti; veterans Frank Marshall and Kimo Williams,
who appear in the film; and Terry Moran of ABC News in a
panel discussion.
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