logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
51m 31s

No place like 'Nam

Bbc World Service
About this episode

March 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the departure of the last American combat troops from Vietnam. Vietnamese journalist Nga Pham uncovers the surprising story of the US veterans who served in Vietnam during the 1960s and early '70s, and have since returned as retirees and decided to make the country their home. Can it just be the cheap housing, affordable healthcare and low cost of living? Or is it a way of healing from the psychological trauma of their experiences serving in the US military during the war in Vietnam?

Up next
Yesterday
Stemming the tide in Normandy
<p>Coastal erosion has become a serious problem for many seaside communities, no more so than in Normandy, in north-west France, where rising sea levels, strong tides and stronger storms have swept away homes, sand dunes and beaches. </p><p>Every year the sea here is reclaiming s ... Show More
26m 40s
Nov 24
The Shiralee: D'Arcy Niland's 1955 Australian western
<p>The Shiralee is a 1955 novel by D'Arcy Niland, telling the story of a wandering swagman on a journey through the Australian outback, accompanied by his 10-year-old daughter. It was made into a 1957 film by Ealing Studios, starring Peter Finch, and now it is being brought to th ... Show More
24m 34s
Nov 22
Inside India's war on Maoists
<p>For nearly 60 years, the Indian government has been fighting a violent group of Maoists in the country. They are followers of the late Chinese leader, Mao Zedong and have carried out bombings and killings in different parts of India. Now, the Indian authorities claim to be on ... Show More
26m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2021
Drugs in the Vietnam War
During the Vietnam war, US commanders grew increasingly concerned about the widespread use of drugs by US troops in Vietnam. Initially the focus was on marijuana. But in the early 1970s, reports began to emerge of the large scale use of heroin by US military personnel. The drug h ... Show More
14m 52s
Sep 2021
Surviving the fall of Saigon
When South Vietnam fell in 1975, most could not escape. In the last days, the US airlifted its remaining personnel and some high ranking Vietnamese officials - but millions were left behind to await their fate. This is the account of one South Vietnamese veteran who remained in S ... Show More
13m 49s
Mar 2022
La Guerre du Vietnam
Dans cet épisode de Crousti-History, on vous parle de la Guerre du Vietnam !Dans les années 50, les États-Unis et l’URSS sont en pleine guerre froide. L’Indochine, ancienne colonie française, est séparée en 4 États. Parmi eux : le Vietnam du Nord communiste et le Vietnam du Sud s ... Show More
2m 34s
Feb 2024
#66 The Vietnam War
📖 Episode Transcripts in Link Below ⬇️ Today we travel back to the years 1955 to 1975 and explore the Vietnam War, a protracted conflict between the communist forces of North Vietnam and the non-communist South Vietnam, which also involved the United States. https://patreon.com/ ... Show More
4m 49s
Oct 2023
Origins of the Vietnam War
<p>In 1969, at the height of US presence, there were over half a million Americans in Vietnam.</p><br><p>But why were they there in the first place? When did the conflict in Vietnam begin and how did it escalate towards US involvement?</p><br><p>Pierre Asselin is the author of <e ... Show More
34m 51s
Apr 2023
324: Fall of Saigon: The Nightmare Begins (Part 1)
It's 1975, and in the final act of the Vietnam War, the U.S. have ordered all remaining civilian and military personnel to be withdrawn from South Vietnam. The communist Viet Cong are closing in on the city of Saigon, the hub of America’s presence, as choppers evacuate the 6000 A ... Show More
49m 14s
Apr 2022
EP273: What Would My Life Be After Firefighting? and Last Men Out of Vietnam
<p>On this episode of <em>Our American Stories</em>, <strong>James</strong>, a retired fire captain, shares his story of firefighting and the emotions that come along with it. Authors <strong>Bob Drury</strong> and <strong>Tom Clavin</strong> tell the remarkable story of the evac ... Show More
38m 13s
Nov 2021
Episode 6.10 (Vietnam (1955 - 1965)
A biography of General Westmoreland the commander of the American military in South Vietnam from 1964 to 1968.  The Viet Cong launch several attacks in the latter part of 1964 but for the first time, regular North Vietnamese Army regiments take to the field in South Vietnam.  
20m 26s