LBJ and Vietnam: In the Eye of the Storm
In October 1964 LBJ promised to keep American boys out of the Vietnamese civil war. “It’s not our fight” he assured the nation. Six months later he escalated American involvement in the conflict, which would be one of the most consequential and disastrous decisions of his presidency. What led to the transformation? The film traces the six months inside the White House leading up to the announcement of military escalation. It’s clear he was a reluctant warrior, trapped by the rising tide of history.
Behind The Scenes
It’s a film without interviews, portrayed solely in LBJ and his closest advisors’ own words. Over one hundred hours of calls were reviewed for the production including conversations with Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Georgia Senator Richard Russell Jr., Arkansas Senator James William Fulbright, and his wife Lady Bird Johnson. Original color footage found at March Air Force base California helped illustrate the story.
Produced For
BBC
Director
David C. Taylor
Producer
David C. Taylor
Writer
David C. Taylor
Director of Photography
Ray Brislin
Recognition
National Emmy Nomination
