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They Chose China

by James McNally on May 1, 2006

in Documentaries, Film Festivals, Hot Docs

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They Chose China

They Chose China (Canada, 2005, Director: Shui-Bo Wang, 52 minutes): An utterly compelling look at a forgotten group of US prisoners of war who refused to be repatriated to the United States after the Korean War. At the time, these 20-odd soldiers were branded “turncoats and traitors” by red-baiting Senator Joseph McCarthy. In archival films, we see them making statements against Senator McCarthy and the current political climate in America, and although many of these archival films seem to have been created for propaganda reasons by the Chinese, the men claim that they were never mistreated in the prisoner-of-war camps. In fact, we see them organizing games and sports, even an “Inter-Camp Olympics”! Of course, having these men stay in China was a huge propaganda coup and they were quickly sent for “education” on the history of socialism and the Chinese Communist Party. Despite that, some stayed and even married in China. Gradually, most of the men returned to the United States, where they faced courts martial and scorn from the media and public.

It was a strange and almost forgotten episode in the Cold War and there is still a lot of ambiguity about what really motivated the men to stay. At the time, the American media speculated that they had been brainwashed (like in The Manchurian Candidate), but it didn’t appear that simple. It was just as clear that when the men returned home, the media used them in its own sort of propaganda war. One man’s interview with Mike Wallace was painful to watch, as Wallace continued to use the term “turncoat and traitor” over and over again. They were very different times.

The director’s voice over, in Chinese-accented English, was sometimes a little difficult to follow, but he did make clear that he considered these men heroes for trying to build bridges between enemies, and I’d tend to agree with that sentiment, even with so many questions left unanswered.

More information on the film from the National Film Board of Canada

8/10(8/10)

EYE Weekly: *** (out of 5) (review)

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Hearts And Minds

by James McNally on June 16, 2003

in DVD, Documentaries

Hearts and Minds

Hearts and Minds (Director: Peter Davis, US, 1974): A powerful documentary about American involvement in the Vietnam war. Perhaps the reason it packs such a punch is that it was filmed before the war was actually over, and it argued passionately that America’s involvement was wrong. For that reason, at the time of its release it was quite controversial. Now, almost thirty years later, history has caught up with Peter Davis’ film, and its arguments seem almost self-evident. That is, unless you look at the current American involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. Personally, I couldn’t stop thinking about those countries while watching the film. When the interviewer asks a former bomber pilot whether America or Americans have learned anything from their experience in Vietnam, he laments, “I think we’re trying hard not to.” Sadly, I think history has proven him right.

One of the most compelling subjects of the film is Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the 7,000-page Pentagon Papers to the media in 1971. This document was a report, commissioned by the US Army and classified as top secret, of American decision-making in Vietnam from 1945-1968. Ellsberg was prosecuted for his actions, but the case was dismissed on grounds of government misconduct against him. His recently published memoir Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers looks like a fascinating read.

10/10(10/10)

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