Chronicles three decades of struggle in Vietnam, providing a detailed visual and oral account of the war that changed a generation and continues to color American thinking on many military and foreign policy issues.

Originally broadcast as a 1983 documentary series on the television program American experience.

disc 1. Roots of a war (1945-1953) / written and produced by Judith Vecchione ; America's Mandarin (1954-1963) / written and produced by Elizabeth Deane -- disc 2. LBJ goes to war (1964-1965) / written and produced by Austin Hoyt ; America takes charge (1965-1967) / written and produced by Andrew Pearson ; America's enemy (1954-1967) / written and produced by Martin Smith -- disc 3. Tet 1968 / written and produced by Austin Hoyt ; Vietnamizing the war (1968-1973) / written and produced by Martin Smith ; Cambodia and Laos / written by Bruce Palling ; produced by Bruce Palling and Martin Smith -- disc 4. Peace is at hand (1968-1973) / written and produced by Martin Smith ; Homefront USA / produced by Elizabeth Deane ; The end of the tunnel (1973-1975) / written and produced by Elizabeth Deane.