The Vietnam War continues to have a bitter aftertaste in many American households to this very day. To many, it’s a symbol of domestic division, and for others, it’s the ultimate symbol of military failure on multiple fronts. Luke McCrary’s byte-sized documentary winds the conflict back to its very first major engagement, The Battle of la Drang. The date is November 14th, 1965, and the 1st US Air Cavalry enters the valley in hopes of weakening the NVA.
McCrary picks his footage correctly, clearly aiming for maximum immersion with a potent dose of shock-and-awe. Graphic and loud, there are no punches being pulled here. Drawing from numerous sources such as archival databases like the AP Archive and History Channel, along with Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway’s book ‘We Were Soldiers Once… And Young,’ there’s a lot to like in what the filmmaker has assembled. Robert Edwards’ role as a narrator and Moore’s interview certainly stand out. Then again, when it comes to its actual qualities as a documentary, it’s less a complete piece and more a compilation.
Judged solely on its fundamental merits, Bloody Beginning / The Battle of la Drang is well-edited and paced, even if its inconsistent sound design leads to some narration being lost within the ensuing gunfire. White text on black backgrounds crops up intermittently to provide more context, but for such a major topic, the visuals are very much limited to archival footage. It’s short and to the point and primed for educational screenings, but those looking for a more detailed account might prefer something more extensive than what McCrary’s project has to offer.
Pulsing with intensity for all of its brief runtime, Bloody Beginning / The Battle of la Drang benefits from striking use of real Vietnam War recordings and interviews.
