This episode explores the early years of the Vietnam War, from the roots of colonial conflict to America’s full-scale military involvement. After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (1964), U.S. combat troops were deployed, fighting a guerrilla enemy in brutal conditions.

Despite overwhelming military power, the U.S. struggled to win both the battlefield and the support of the Vietnamese people. At home, televised images of destruction and death fueled a growing anti-war movement, especially after the Tet Offensive in 1968.

By the decade’s end, the war had deeply divided American society, shattered public trust, and become a symbol of disillusionment.