November 13, 2002

Vietnam: Canada's Unknown War is a groundbreaking documentary on Canada's involvement in the Vietnam War. Produced by Emmy® Award Winning Partners in Motion, this 90-minute special is airing on November 14, 2002 at 9PM EST as part of 'Remembrance Week' programming on History Television.

Few Canadians know the role our government and industry played in the Vietnam War, or that approximately 40,000 Canadians served with the United States military during the Vietnam War era.

Interviews with North Vietnamese broadcaster Hanoi Hannah, CBC reporter Knowlton Nash, former Minister of External Affairs Mitchell Sharp, former North Vietnamese soldiers and the Canadian men who volunteered to fight the war against communism are skilfully interwoven, with powerful archival footage of the era, to tell the story of how involved Canada was in the Vietnam War.

Canadian companies manufactured weapons and war materials, including components of napalm and Agent Orange. In fact, nearly every item sent to Vietnam -from bullets and tanks to boots and green berets - contained at least one Canadian-made component. A list of these companies is included in the press package.

This documentary revisits the commonly held belief that Canada was a neutral player in the Vietnam War and calls into question the moral superiority felt by many Canadians with regards to the United States and its actions in Vietnam.

Vietnam: Canada's Unknown War exposes the reality of Canadian involvement in Vietnam, from the provision of weapons and military materials to the stories of Canadians who were drafted as Resident Aliens or who ventured across the border to volunteer. The soldiers' stories are placed in counterpoint with the experience of their former foes and the enduring effects of the war on the Vietnamese people and countryside.

This is a story every Canadian should know.

Paul Millar, Producer
Partners in Motion
Telephone: 306.545.2228
Toll-free: 1.877.302.4333 ext 72
E-mail: tgilles@partnersinmotion.com

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