‘The Vietnam War’ First Look: Ken Burns Docuseries

Having already made longform documentaries about the Civil War and World War II, Ken Burns will next release a docuseries about a more recent conflict: “The Vietnam War,” which is coming to PBS later this year. Watch a clip of the 10-part, 18-hour doc co-directed by Lynn Novick below.

“On December 18,” begins the narrator, “Nixon unleashed round-the-clock airstrikes that flattened targets around Hanoi and Haiphong. It would be remembered as the Christmas bombing.” Officially known as Operation Linebacker II, the 1972 campaign lasted until December 29 and resulted in more than 1,600 civilian casualties. An American prisoner of war and a Vietnamese man are both interviewed in the segment, the latter lamenting the loss of life in his village — including a pregnant woman.

Burns’ most recent film is the four-hour “Jackie Robinson,” which likewise aired on PBS. “The Vietnam War,” which features a score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, is slated to premiere this fall.