List Rules Documentary films about the Vietnam War
There have been many documentaries about the Vietnam War and the plethora of controversies that surrounded it. What are the best documentaries about the Vietnam War? This list, ranked by the community, has the best films that will educate you about the era and the war.
The films featured on this list cover a variety of topics about the Vietnam War, ranging from the history behind what brought the United States into the war, controversies and conspiracy theories involving the United States government’s role, behind the scenes details about victims who were affected by the devastations of the war, and even the impact that the Vietnam War still has to this day on all countries involved. No matter what aspect of the Vietnam War you're interested in, there is sure to be a documentary on this list for you!
This list features the best Vietnam War documentaries, including: The Anderson Platoon, The Uncounted Enemy, Going Upriver and Far From Vietnam. Vote for your favorite docs today and add any great films about the Vietnam War that aren't included.
list ordered by
1
The World of Charlie Company
The World of Charlie Company is a one-hour documentary produced by CBS News in 1970 that shows what fighting North Vietnamese Army regulars in the jungles of Southeast Asia was like for a ...more
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam is an American grammy Award–winning 1987 documentary, inspired by the anthology of the same title, directed by Bill Couturié. Using real letters ...more
4
17th Parallel: Vietnam in War
17th Parallel: Vietnam in War is a 1968 French documentary film directed by Joris Ivens. The film sets out to show the effects of the American bombing campaign on the Vietnamese people, who were ...more
5
A Touch of Home: the Vietnam War's Red Cross Girls
A Touch of Home: The Vietnam War's Red Cross Girls is an American documentary film produced and directed by Patrick and Cheryl Fries. The film tells the story of 627 young American women who ...more
6
Vietnam: The Last BattleJohn Pilger
Vietnam: The Last Battle is a 1995 Carlton Television documentary, written and presented by John Pilger, and directed by David Munro, which returns to Vietnam nearly twenty years after the ...more
The Anderson Platoon is a documentary feature by Pierre Schoendoerffer about the Vietnam War, named after the leader of the platoon - Lieutenant Joseph B. Anderson - with which Schoendeorffer ...more
Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry is a documentary film on U.S. Senator John Kerry's military service during the Vietnam War and his subsequent participation in the peace movement. There ...more
9
Regret to InformBarbara Sonneborn
On her twenty-fourth birthday, this film's director Barbara Sonneborn received a knock on her door from a United States Army soldier, and heard the words "We regret to inform you...." ...more
In the Year of the Pig is a 1968 American documentary film about the origins of the Vietnam War, directed by Emile de Antonio. It was nominated for an Academy award for best documentary. The ...more
12
The Wall That HealsLouis Gossett, Jr.
The Wall That Heals is a 1997 documentary film about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial narrated by Louis Gossett, Jr.
Soldiers in Hiding is a 1985 documentary film directed by Malcolm Clarke. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
14
Vietnam RequiemPeter Thomas
Vietnam Requiem was an ABC News Closeup Series television documentary directed by Bill Couturié and Jonas McCord. It was filmed in 1982, and transmitted in 1984 about the post-traumatic ...more
Far from Vietnam is a 1967 French documentary film directed by Joris Ivens, William Klein, Claude Lelouch, Agnès Varda, Jean-Luc Godard, Chris Marker and Alain Resnais.
16
Stolen Honor
Stolen Honor is a 45-minute video documentary that was released in September 2004. It features interviews with a number of American men who were prisoners of war in North Vietnam, who contend ...more
17
Vietnam, Long Time Coming
In 1998, World T.E.A.M. Sports (The Exceptional Athlete Matters) organized a 16-day, 1,200 mile bicycle ride through once war-torn Vietnam. Able-bodied and disabled veterans, from the U.S. and ...more
Interviews with My Lai Veterans is a 1970 American short documentary film directed by Joseph Strick featuring first hand accounts of the My Lai Massacre. It won an Academy Award at the 43rd ...more
The Uncounted Enemy: A Vietnam Deception was a controversial television documentary aired as part of the CBS Reports series on January 23, 1982. The 90-minute program, produced by George Crile ...more
20
Into Harm's Way
Into Harm's Way is a 2012 American documentary produced and directed by Jordan Kronick. The film features a series of interviews with the members of the West Point Class of 1967 and their ...more
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers is a 2009 documentary film directed by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith. The film follows Daniel Ellsberg and explores ...more
Sad Song of Yellow Skin is a 1970 direct cinema-style documentary film on the effects of the Vietnam War on street children in Saigon. The 58-minute documentary was written, directed and ...more
Return with Honor is a 1999 documentary film about American prisoners of war in the Vietnam War. Among those profiled is Senator John McCain. It is narrated by Tom Hanks. Directors Freida Lee ...more
24
Year Zero: The Silent Death of Cambodia
Year Zero: The Silent Death of Cambodia is a 1979 British television documentary written and presented by the Australian journalist John Pilger, which was produced and directed by David Munro. ...more
25
A Face of War
A Face of War is a 1968 documentary about the Vietnam War, by Eugene S. Jones. The New York Times called it "one of the great Vietnam documentaries." Roger Ebert called it a ...more
