The critically-acclaimed documentary LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM is a gripping portrait of the final hours of the war during the chaotic evacuation of the southern city of Saigon. The storytelling of this monumental event in world history is intricately told by filmmaker Rory Kennedy – daughter of Robert F. Kennedy – who weaves together historical photos and footage, together with interviews from policymakers and members of the local South Vietnamese population. Also portrayed in the film is an emotional moment in which a U.S. Army captain tearfully recalls a promise made to hundreds of locals packed inside the U.S. Embassy grounds: ‘That nobody is going to be left behind. … When you are in the American Embassy, you are on American soil.” Kennedy explains her motivation behind the film and recounts the final days of the war ion this BYOD interview with host Ondi Timoner.
FILM AND GUEST INFO:
During the chaotic final days of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army closes in on Saigon as South Vietnamese resistance crumbles. The United States has only a skeleton crew of diplomats and military operatives still in the country. As Communist victory becomes inevitable and the U.S. readies to withdraw, some Americans begin to consider the certain imprisonment and possible death of their South Vietnamese allies, co-workers, and friends. Meanwhile, the prospect of an official evacuation of South Vietnamese becomes terminally delayed by Congressional gridlock and the inexplicably optimistic U.S. Ambassador. With the clock ticking and the city under fire, a number of heroic Americans take matters into their own hands, engaging in unsanctioned and often makeshift operations in a desperate effort to save as many South Vietnamese lives as possible.
Note: In Last Days in Vietnam, subject Frank Snepp states, “The prearranged signal for the evacuation was broadcast on American radio in Saigon. The message was, ‘The temperature is 105 and rising,’ and then Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas.’ And sure enough, about ten o’clock in the morning…there was Bing Crosby on the airwaves.” In many minds, this is how it is remembered, and this is what is reflected in the film. In reality, when the evacuation began the Americans running ARS were unable to find Bing Crosby’s version in their music library so they broadcast the Tennessee Ernie’s version of “White Christmas” instead.
Rory Kennedy is an Emmy Award winning independent documentary filmmaker, as well as cofounder and president of Moxie Firecracker Films. Her films cover an array of issues ranging from poverty to politics to human rights. Her work has been shown on HBO, A&E, MTV, Lifetime, and PBS. Her most recent project, Ethel, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2012, and was nominated for 5 Primetime Emmys. The feature length documentary is Kennedy’s most personal project to date, providing an inside look at the remarkable life of Ethel Kennedy, Rory’s mother and wife to Robert F. Kennedy. Ethel was broadcast on HBO in 2012. Kennedy has directed and produced more than 25 documentaries including Ghosts of Abu Ghraib (Primetime Emmy Award winner for Best Non Fiction Film, 2007); Thank You, Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House; American Hollow; A Boy’s Life; and Pandemic: Facing AIDS.
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EPISODE BREAKDOWN:
00:01 Welcoming Rory Kennedy to BYOD.
01:20 Telling the story of what happened during the last 24 hours of the Vietnam War
03:50 Clip – Attempting to plan for an evacuation and the bureaucratic struggle.
05:00 Going against orders to evacuate Vietnamese citizens.
07:10 Clip – Air base destroyed.
10:55 North Vietnamese see an opportunity to exploit President Ford’s vulnerability.
13:30 Pilots use helicopters help to evacuate the vietnamese people.
17:00 Ships become too crowded and crew abandons helicopters in ocean.
18:55 Clip- Miki Nguyen tells the story of his father’s heroic actions.
25:40 How Kennedy got the footage of the chinook approaching the USS Kirk.
27:25 Taking in ships packed with Vietnamese refugees.
31:10 Raising and lowering flags on the ships.
32:50 Clip- Ships packed full of Vietnamese refugees.
35:00 Evacuating the U.S. embassy in Vietnam.
37:45 Refugee who was left behind at embassy by Stuart Herrington forgives him.
39:30 Thank you and goodbye
Clip Stuart Herrington.