Philip Jones Griffiths: Fietnam

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0:00:15 > 0:00:19- Half a century has passed.

0:00:20 > 0:00:23- I still have nightmares.

0:00:25 > 0:00:27- That shows the horror of the war.

0:00:31 > 0:00:33- All day and night, all you heard...

0:00:33 > 0:00:35- ..was boom, boom, boom, boom.

0:00:40 > 0:00:43- Shooting and helicopters - flying around.

0:00:44 > 0:00:46- It was full of life.

0:00:51 > 0:00:56- For the most part, you'd viewed - everybody with suspicion.

0:01:00 > 0:01:04- Because you never knew - when a little kid waving at you...

0:01:04 > 0:01:07- ..might also toss a grenade.

0:01:11 > 0:01:15- Welsh photographer - Philip Jones Griffiths...

0:01:15 > 0:01:20- ..took some powerful photos of - one of mankind's most horrific wars.

0:01:20 > 0:01:22- He risked his life in Vietnam...

0:01:22 > 0:01:26- ..to produce one of the most - iconic photography books ever.

0:01:27 > 0:01:32- I'm not brave. - I was just trying to stay alive.

0:01:32 > 0:01:35- I thought I was there - for a particular purpose...

0:01:35 > 0:01:39- ..and I wanted to come out - the other side in one piece.

0:01:40 > 0:01:42- Philip had an extraordinary eye.

0:01:43 > 0:01:45- It was an - intelligent and sophisticated eye.

0:01:46 > 0:01:49- He knew that very moment - to push that button on the camera.

0:01:52 > 0:01:55- That was the genius - of Philip's photographs.

0:01:56 > 0:01:59- He said "Why?" in his photographs. - Something was happening.

0:02:01 > 0:02:04- The power and honesty - of his graphic images...

0:02:04 > 0:02:07- ..during and after - the Vietnam War...

0:02:07 > 0:02:10- ..would change - public opinion forever.

0:02:11 > 0:02:16- He brought the crimes and injustices - of the war to the world's attention.

0:02:16 > 0:02:20- Its effects - are still felt there today.

0:02:21 > 0:02:25- I think he realized photography - was an extremely effective tool...

0:02:26 > 0:02:28- ..for illuminating injustice.

0:02:28 > 0:02:33- The disgust he felt at the injustice - he saw is visible in his work.

0:02:39 > 0:02:41- I remember writing my will - before going.

0:02:42 > 0:02:44- Guns were being fired - from the ground.

0:02:44 > 0:02:47- We were told not to sit - in the helicopter.

0:02:47 > 0:02:49- We were more of a target if we sat.

0:02:53 > 0:02:55- They shot everyone, - it didn't matter who they were.

0:02:55 > 0:02:59- There were no arguments, - they just shot them.

0:03:01 > 0:03:05- One of the great things - about Jones Griffiths' work...

0:03:05 > 0:03:08- ..as much - or more than anyone else...

0:03:08 > 0:03:11- ..he presented the material - which would lead...

0:03:12 > 0:03:17- ..any decent and sane person - to recognize the enormity...

0:03:17 > 0:03:21- ..of the crimes that the - United States was committing there.

0:03:24 > 0:03:28- In 1966, what was happening halfway - around the world in Vietnam...

0:03:28 > 0:03:30- ..had to be interesting.

0:03:31 > 0:03:33- I decided - I was going to be the one...

0:03:33 > 0:03:36- ..to find out - what was really going on.

0:03:51 > 0:03:54- I've admired the work - of Philip Jones Griffiths...

0:03:54 > 0:03:57- ..since I was a politics student.

0:03:57 > 0:04:00- I know very little - about the man himself...

0:04:00 > 0:04:02- ..and his work in Vietnam.

0:04:04 > 0:04:07- I'm here to discover more - about what he saw...

0:04:07 > 0:04:11- ..and why this place - had such an effect on him.

0:04:16 > 0:04:18- Vietnam - War Correspondent

0:04:18 > 0:04:20- I first met Philip in Saigon.

0:04:20 > 0:04:23- My first impression was a kind of...

0:04:23 > 0:04:27- ..almost a quiet Falstaffian - kind of character.

0:04:27 > 0:04:32- He had this wonderful - dry, mischievous...

0:04:32 > 0:04:34- ..sense of black irony.

0:04:34 > 0:04:37- He saw true irony - and true absurdity...

0:04:37 > 0:04:39- ..in much of the war in Vietnam.

0:04:43 > 0:04:47- The Welshman from Rhuddlan - spent many years in Vietnam...

0:04:47 > 0:04:51- ..witnessing some - of the worst atrocities of war...

0:04:51 > 0:04:53- ..inflicted by the Western world.

0:04:55 > 0:04:58- His photos shocked the world - and changed history.

0:04:59 > 0:05:02- If there was a battle - between David and Goliath...

0:05:03 > 0:05:04- ..he'd support David.

0:05:05 > 0:05:08- That was - like Wales against England...

0:05:08 > 0:05:09- ..and it was the Vietnamese - against the American imperialism.

0:05:09 > 0:05:12- ..and it was the Vietnamese - against the American imperialism.- - Philip's ex-partner

0:05:13 > 0:05:16- And he observed - how the Vietnamese were.

0:05:16 > 0:05:20- That they were courageous - and they had something to fight for.

0:05:20 > 0:05:23- They had each other to fight for.

0:05:28 > 0:05:32- War has played a significant part - in the history of Vietnam.

0:05:33 > 0:05:37- In 1954, - French control of Vietnam ended.

0:05:37 > 0:05:39- The country was split in two...

0:05:39 > 0:05:44- ..the communist north supported - by China and the Soviet Union...

0:05:44 > 0:05:49- ..and the capitalist south - supported by America.

0:05:50 > 0:05:55- The war was fought in the towns - and villages of Vietnam.

0:05:55 > 0:05:59- Hundreds and thousands - of American soldiers...

0:05:59 > 0:06:03- ..fought side-by-side with South - Korean and Australian soldiers.

0:06:04 > 0:06:07- Their enemy - was the North Vietnamese army...

0:06:07 > 0:06:10- ..and their allies in the south, - the Viet Cong...

0:06:10 > 0:06:14- ..a guerrilla army - living amongst the civilians.

0:06:14 > 0:06:17- They fought against the might - of the West...

0:06:17 > 0:06:19- ..to try and unite Vietnam.

0:06:19 > 0:06:25- It was a battleground in the battle - between communism and capitalism.

0:06:26 > 0:06:29- The Viet Cong were the threat, - they were everywhere.

0:06:32 > 0:06:35- During the day, - they mingled with everyone.

0:06:36 > 0:06:38- At night...

0:06:38 > 0:06:40- ..they returned to the jungle...

0:06:40 > 0:06:42- ..to the tunnels, - tunnels everywhere.

0:06:45 > 0:06:47- I saw them but never went in.

0:06:48 > 0:06:49- Australian army

0:06:50 > 0:06:53- Boys were killed, - there were booby traps inside.

0:07:00 > 0:07:05- The Vietnam War happened at a - crucial time in American history...

0:07:05 > 0:07:06- ..and world history.

0:07:07 > 0:07:10- It happened during a time - after the Second World War.

0:07:10 > 0:07:12- America was trying - to put its stamp on the world...

0:07:12 > 0:07:14- America was trying - to put its stamp on the world...- - Historian

0:07:14 > 0:07:18- ..at a time when it wasn't sure what - kind of stamp it wanted to make.

0:07:20 > 0:07:24- The methods of warfare in Vietnam - were very different...

0:07:24 > 0:07:27- ..to what had happened previously.

0:07:27 > 0:07:32- America wanted to draw the line - with communism.

0:07:32 > 0:07:36- As a result, it becomes more - of a politically-motivated war...

0:07:36 > 0:07:39- ..than a military - and strategic war.

0:07:42 > 0:07:47- Philip's main intention was to show - the injustice and futility of war.

0:07:47 > 0:07:52- His graphic images showed Vietnam, - its landscape and people...

0:07:52 > 0:07:55- ..being systematically destroyed...

0:07:55 > 0:07:58- ..by the world's greatest - military might.

0:08:00 > 0:08:02- The media was developing rapidly...

0:08:02 > 0:08:05- ..and was ever eager - for photos and stories.

0:08:06 > 0:08:08- Photojournalists such as Philip...

0:08:08 > 0:08:12- ..brought the reality of war - to every living room in America.

0:08:20 > 0:08:23- I don't think it was possible - to film Vietnam...

0:08:23 > 0:08:27- ..without help from the Americans - to get from place to place.

0:08:27 > 0:08:30- The freedom given to journalists - was incredible.

0:08:32 > 0:08:33- They didn't try to control - where you went...

0:08:33 > 0:08:36- They didn't try to control - where you went...- - Vietnam - War Correspondent

0:08:37 > 0:08:39- ..or what you could say on film.

0:08:39 > 0:08:41- There was no censorship.

0:08:46 > 0:08:51- You could ask to go to the fiercest - battlefields and they'd take you.

0:08:51 > 0:08:55- I'm sure they damaged - their own cause...

0:08:55 > 0:08:59- ..by allowing us to visit - anyone and anywhere we wanted.

0:09:04 > 0:09:07- They started burning some villages.

0:09:07 > 0:09:10- I was trying - to get up in a helicopter...

0:09:11 > 0:09:13- ..and the guy - says to the commanding officer...

0:09:14 > 0:09:16- .."A newsman here - wants to go up in a chopper."

0:09:17 > 0:09:21- The guy didn't realize I could hear - his reply from the back of his Jeep.

0:09:21 > 0:09:25- He said, "We don't want people - to see what we're doing.

0:09:26 > 0:09:29- "I hate that we should be proud of - everything we do in this country."

0:09:29 > 0:09:33- "Could I persuade you to change your - mind? He's only a photographer."

0:09:34 > 0:09:37- "Oh, he's only a photographer? - Yeah, OK, he can go."

0:09:38 > 0:09:39- Great. Great, that's it.

0:09:40 > 0:09:42- "Only a photographer."

0:09:48 > 0:09:49- Philip wasn't a frontline man.

0:09:49 > 0:09:50- Philip wasn't a frontline man.- - Vietnam War - Photographer

0:09:50 > 0:09:54- He was never the kind of man who'd - lie in a battle all day or all week.

0:09:55 > 0:09:59- He would come along and he would - cherry pick his subjects...

0:09:59 > 0:10:01- ..because he had this mind...

0:10:02 > 0:10:05- ..and eventually he'd get - an extraordinary picture.

0:10:09 > 0:10:11- Philip was born in 1936.

0:10:12 > 0:10:16- He was raised in a Welsh-speaking - household near Rhuddlan Castle.

0:10:16 > 0:10:21- He was passionate about the - Welsh language and Welsh history.

0:10:21 > 0:10:25- He graduated with a degree in - Pharmacy from Liverpool University.

0:10:26 > 0:10:28- However, - his first love was photography.

0:10:30 > 0:10:32- He worked in London and he - took photos in his spare time.

0:10:32 > 0:10:35- He worked in London and he - took photos in his spare time.- - Philip's cousin and photographer

0:10:36 > 0:10:39- He worked at night - to free up time during the day.

0:10:41 > 0:10:44- Because of the high quality - of his photos...

0:10:44 > 0:10:48- ..he was regularly employed - by the Observer and the Guardian.

0:10:55 > 0:10:59- He was in love with photography - from a technical perspective.

0:10:59 > 0:11:02- He loved trying different lenses. - He had a lot of photography friends.

0:11:03 > 0:11:06- They'd all get together - and go on about...

0:11:06 > 0:11:10- ..the latest F6, or whatever it was.

0:11:10 > 0:11:13- That would be - the kind of dinner conversation.

0:11:14 > 0:11:19- In the early 1960s, national - newspapers and colour supplements...

0:11:19 > 0:11:23- ..offered Philip - and other photojournalists...

0:11:23 > 0:11:26- ..exciting opportunities - to work and travel.

0:11:29 > 0:11:33- The thing about the type - of photography that we all did...

0:11:33 > 0:11:35- ..was that it was badly paid.

0:11:35 > 0:11:38- Estate agent photographers got more.

0:11:39 > 0:11:42- So nobody ever did this for money.

0:11:42 > 0:11:46- I was lucky, I had - a very large flat in Bayswater.

0:11:46 > 0:11:48- Philip had a little room there.

0:11:49 > 0:11:51- He was very posh, - he had a permanent room...

0:11:52 > 0:11:55- ..which all I remember of it - is that it was full of newspapers.

0:11:56 > 0:11:58- He never threw a newspaper away.

0:12:00 > 0:12:02- I took the job with the Observer...

0:12:03 > 0:12:06- ..because it was the only newspaper - at the time...

0:12:06 > 0:12:10- ..which sent its photographers - to faraway countries.

0:12:11 > 0:12:15- After leaving the Observer, I - travelled for three years, non-stop.

0:12:16 > 0:12:21- It was a curiosity to see everything - and choose the best photos.

0:12:22 > 0:12:25- Gradually, Philip's portfolio grew.

0:12:26 > 0:12:28- His powerful images of conflict...

0:12:28 > 0:12:32- ..between the dominant nations - and smaller cultures...

0:12:33 > 0:12:36- ..brought Philip - to the world's attention...

0:12:36 > 0:12:39- ..as a photojournalist - of the highest order.

0:12:39 > 0:12:44- In 1966, he joined the - international photo agency Magnum.

0:12:44 > 0:12:47- It was founded - on humanitarian principles.

0:12:48 > 0:12:50- It was a natural home for Philip...

0:12:50 > 0:12:53- ..who was so in tune - with world politics.

0:12:56 > 0:13:00- Magnum is a co-operative - of photographers that employ staff.

0:13:00 > 0:13:03- It was by invitation only.

0:13:03 > 0:13:08- It needs a unanimous vote of - the other photographers to come in.

0:13:08 > 0:13:11- And so it's - a very elitist, pompous...

0:13:11 > 0:13:13- ..arrogant group of people...

0:13:14 > 0:13:16- ..who just happened to be the best.

0:13:18 > 0:13:20- Photographers travelled the world...

0:13:20 > 0:13:23- ..with the freedom - to choose their stories.

0:13:23 > 0:13:26- They sold their photos - to whoever wanted them.

0:13:30 > 0:13:37- Philip was increasingly attracted - to conflicts in South-East Asia...

0:13:37 > 0:13:40- ..the latest battlefield - of the Cold War.

0:13:43 > 0:13:45- One thing was certain...

0:13:45 > 0:13:49- ..I was tired of travelling - from one country to another.

0:13:49 > 0:13:54- I didn't feel as if I was getting - my teeth into something substantial.

0:13:55 > 0:14:02- I had a look around the world and I - read about the conflict in Vietnam.

0:14:02 > 0:14:06- I thought to myself, - this might be the place.

0:14:07 > 0:14:11- Philip went there with the intention - of doing a book...

0:14:11 > 0:14:15- ..and he had to hang on until he had - enough pictures to satisfy him.

0:14:17 > 0:14:20- He saw all the different aspects - coming together...

0:14:20 > 0:14:22- ..in one place.

0:14:22 > 0:14:25- They would illustrate the craziness.

0:14:28 > 0:14:31- And he knew he couldn't - get a story in a newspaper...

0:14:31 > 0:14:34- ..that would tell the whole picture.

0:14:36 > 0:14:41- Opposition to the war was growing - in America and Europe...

0:14:41 > 0:14:44- ..but most Americans - supported the war.

0:14:45 > 0:14:49- Journalists in Saigon - did their best to show the public...

0:14:49 > 0:14:52- ..that the conflict was escalating.

0:14:52 > 0:14:58- The White House and the Pentagon - tried to conceal the true story...

0:14:59 > 0:15:01- ..from the American public.

0:15:01 > 0:15:03- Philip was determined - to find the truth.

0:15:04 > 0:15:09- He hated the idea of journalism - not playing its honest, true role...

0:15:09 > 0:15:11- ..which he was right to do.

0:15:11 > 0:15:15- Why would we go to dangerous places - and leave our families destitute...

0:15:16 > 0:15:18- ..not to bring the truth back?

0:15:18 > 0:15:21- Truth is all we really stood for.

0:15:25 > 0:15:28- The choice - that any photographer can make...

0:15:29 > 0:15:32- ..is you cover the huge area - in a very shallow way...

0:15:32 > 0:15:34- ..or do you try and concentrate - and go deeper?

0:15:35 > 0:15:37- Well, I didn't know that...

0:15:37 > 0:15:42- ..but I certainly knew that in 1966 - what was happening in Vietnam...

0:15:42 > 0:15:44- ..had to be interesting...

0:15:44 > 0:15:48- ..so I decided I was going to be the - one to find out what was going on.

0:15:49 > 0:15:49- .

0:15:54 > 0:15:54- Subtitles

0:15:54 > 0:15:56- Subtitles- - Subtitles

0:15:58 > 0:16:03- The army did not use military - aircraft to bring soldiers over.

0:16:03 > 0:16:05- They hired civilian aircraft.

0:16:05 > 0:16:11- So I came to the war with - stewardesses in cute, sexy outfits.

0:16:11 > 0:16:12- That was the first thing.

0:16:12 > 0:16:13- That was the first thing.- - American soldier

0:16:13 > 0:16:16- I was going to war - on a commercial flight...

0:16:17 > 0:16:19- ..with cute stewardesses.

0:16:19 > 0:16:22- I don't mean to be sexist but - that was the impression I had at 23.

0:16:25 > 0:16:28- The aeroplane door opened...

0:16:28 > 0:16:31- ..and I walked down the steps.

0:16:31 > 0:16:33- I felt as if I'd arrived home.

0:16:33 > 0:16:38- It was just like being - in a small Welsh town.

0:16:39 > 0:16:43- Of course, in many ways, - Vietnam and Wales are similar.

0:16:43 > 0:16:46- As a child living in Rhuddlan...

0:16:46 > 0:16:48- ..I learnt about invasion.

0:16:48 > 0:16:53- How a dominant culture - tried to alter another culture.

0:16:54 > 0:16:59- Philip was adamant - about his Welshness to me.

0:16:59 > 0:17:03- When I first met him, - he would know many Welsh hymns...

0:17:03 > 0:17:05- ..even though he was an atheist.

0:17:06 > 0:17:11- He would have LPs of The Glory of - Wales, volumes one, two and three...

0:17:12 > 0:17:14- ..which he would play really loud.

0:17:14 > 0:17:17- Philip's Welshness - was like a beacon.

0:17:17 > 0:17:19- It represented...

0:17:20 > 0:17:22- ..his independence, his personality.

0:17:22 > 0:17:28- If some American officer would say - some God fool thing to him...

0:17:28 > 0:17:31- ..Philip would - mumble a reply in Welsh.

0:17:32 > 0:17:34- "Hey, what's that?"

0:17:35 > 0:17:38- "It's a language - you probably don't speak."

0:17:38 > 0:17:41- "What did you say?" - "Don't worry about that."

0:17:42 > 0:17:46- As well as drawing attention - to the plight of civilians...

0:17:46 > 0:17:49- ..Philip also empathised - with the soldiers.

0:17:50 > 0:17:55- During the long war, atrocities - were committed by both sides.

0:17:55 > 0:17:59- One notable photo comes to mind.

0:17:59 > 0:18:03- A GI with a young Vietnamese child - sitting in his lap.

0:18:03 > 0:18:06- Philip sympathised - with these young men...

0:18:06 > 0:18:10- ..who had to obey the orders of - politicians thousands of miles away.

0:18:14 > 0:18:17- I'd never noticed the difference...

0:18:17 > 0:18:20- ..between the full-time - American soldiers...

0:18:20 > 0:18:24- ..and those who were completing - their military service.

0:18:25 > 0:18:28- Soldiers who were there - for a few months.

0:18:29 > 0:18:31- They just wanted to go home to live.

0:18:33 > 0:18:36- Philip did feel sorry - for the American troops.

0:18:36 > 0:18:40- We all did, - particularly drafted troops.

0:18:40 > 0:18:44- But Philip - also had very little regard...

0:18:44 > 0:18:46- ..for American ignorance.

0:18:46 > 0:18:51- He regarded what he called - the arrogance of ignorance...

0:18:51 > 0:18:57- ..that as he would say, a country - that produces fewer passports...

0:18:57 > 0:19:01- ..than any other industrialized, - advanced society...

0:19:02 > 0:19:06- ..would send young men - into Vietnam for a year...

0:19:07 > 0:19:11- ..without any understanding - of the society that they were in...

0:19:12 > 0:19:15- ..knowing that they - just had to get through that year...

0:19:16 > 0:19:17- ..and get home alive.

0:19:17 > 0:19:19- It invited atrocities.

0:19:19 > 0:19:23- It invited a disregard for people...

0:19:23 > 0:19:25- ..for the Vietnamese.

0:19:26 > 0:19:29- He was often very angry about that.

0:19:37 > 0:19:42- America's tactics, carpet bombing - and aerial bombardment, were brutal.

0:19:42 > 0:19:47- It was hard to set apart the North - Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong...

0:19:47 > 0:19:49- ..from the civilians.

0:19:49 > 0:19:53- During horrific - search and destroy campaigns...

0:19:53 > 0:19:58- ..soldiers would round up villagers - and burn their houses to the ground.

0:19:58 > 0:20:02- Philip Jones Griffiths - witnessed this first hand.

0:20:02 > 0:20:05- He was taken on one - of the search and destroy patrols.

0:20:06 > 0:20:08- He visited a village...

0:20:08 > 0:20:12- ..and saw the Americans - round up the women and children...

0:20:12 > 0:20:18- ..before calling for fireballs - from their air armoury.

0:20:19 > 0:20:22- When Philip asked about - the civilians...

0:20:22 > 0:20:25- ..the answer he received was, - "What civilians?"

0:20:33 > 0:20:36- That reflects the psyche - that existed...

0:20:36 > 0:20:40- ..and was prevalent - in many American units.

0:20:41 > 0:20:45- They couldn't set apart civilians - from those fighting in the war.

0:20:55 > 0:20:59- You didn't know who they were, - they would change overnight, maybe.

0:20:59 > 0:21:03- "Hello," and tomorrow - they'd shoot you.

0:21:06 > 0:21:09- The truth, we treated them like...

0:21:11 > 0:21:13- ..what's that word?

0:21:14 > 0:21:17- Like pigs, we treated them terribly.

0:21:20 > 0:21:23- Racism was an uncomfortable aspect - of the war.

0:21:23 > 0:21:28- American soldiers were encouraged to - view the enemy as gooks and slants.

0:21:32 > 0:21:37- There was a constant campaign - to portray the Vietnamese...

0:21:37 > 0:21:39- ..as an inferior race.

0:21:39 > 0:21:43- In the context of war, - the results of this were horrific.

0:21:50 > 0:21:53- We Americans were human beings...

0:21:53 > 0:21:58- ..but the reality is also - that we failed to perceive...

0:21:58 > 0:22:01- ..the other side as human beings.

0:22:04 > 0:22:07- OK, I'm young, - I'm innocent, I'm naive.

0:22:07 > 0:22:10- I'm 8,000 miles away from home.

0:22:11 > 0:22:13- I'm lonely, - I don't want to be there.

0:22:15 > 0:22:18- And so what holds - a combat unit together...

0:22:19 > 0:22:21- ..is not mother and apple pie.

0:22:22 > 0:22:26- Nobody cared about ideals - or political agenda...

0:22:27 > 0:22:28- ..or God and country.

0:22:29 > 0:22:31- All we cared about - was trying to stay alive...

0:22:32 > 0:22:35- ..and trying to keep our mates, - our comrades, alive.

0:22:41 > 0:22:43- Shooting the wrong people...

0:22:47 > 0:22:51- Children, we didn't know they were - children. They were too far from us.

0:22:56 > 0:23:00- You look back now and think, - what did they do?

0:23:02 > 0:23:05- What did they do? - What did those children do?

0:23:05 > 0:23:07- At the time, you didn't think.

0:23:07 > 0:23:09- Now you think.

0:23:09 > 0:23:12- That's why we don't talk about it.

0:23:13 > 0:23:15- We just let it lie now.

0:23:18 > 0:23:22- I had the strange sensation - that we were being followed.

0:23:23 > 0:23:25- I whipped around and looked back...

0:23:25 > 0:23:28- ..and there was - a little ten-year-old boy...

0:23:28 > 0:23:32- ..with a tray of ice cold Coca Cola - around his shoulder.

0:23:32 > 0:23:35- He was there - to sell us Coca Colas...

0:23:35 > 0:23:40- ..and, of course, we understood - that if he knew we were there...

0:23:40 > 0:23:44- ..then his uncle and his big brother - knew we were there too.

0:23:45 > 0:23:46- So it was a very scary thing.

0:23:47 > 0:23:50- We did not shoot him - but we could have...

0:23:50 > 0:23:53- ..and it would've been - a legitimate target.

0:23:56 > 0:24:01- What happens in wars is nothing like - what you see on TV or in films.

0:24:01 > 0:24:03- It's horrific.

0:24:03 > 0:24:06- The time to start crying - is in the dark room...

0:24:06 > 0:24:09- ..when you're developing the photos.

0:24:09 > 0:24:13- I thank the Lord - that I never had children...

0:24:13 > 0:24:15- ..before I went to Vietnam.

0:24:20 > 0:24:23- Philip never sheltered us - from what he was doing.

0:24:23 > 0:24:26- We understood from a very early age.

0:24:26 > 0:24:27- Fanny and I were aware - that there was a higher purpose.

0:24:27 > 0:24:29- Fanny and I were aware - that there was a higher purpose.- - Philip's - daughters

0:24:30 > 0:24:32- There was something more going on.

0:24:32 > 0:24:36- Our birthdays and Christmas - weren't that important...

0:24:36 > 0:24:38- ..when people were suffering.

0:24:38 > 0:24:41- He was never shy - about explaining to us...

0:24:41 > 0:24:46- ..the conflicts and the horror, - and that we were capable...

0:24:46 > 0:24:49- ..as young children in Wales - of changing it...

0:24:49 > 0:24:52- ..just by taking a picture - with this magical box.

0:24:58 > 0:25:00- There were two or three hotels - in Saigon...

0:25:00 > 0:25:03- ..the Rex, the Continental - and the Majestic.

0:25:04 > 0:25:08- Journalists and photographers such - as John Pilger and Don McCullin...

0:25:08 > 0:25:12- ..would meet Philip - to share stories, photos...

0:25:12 > 0:25:15- ..and plan for the following day.

0:25:15 > 0:25:17- The camaraderie is so important...

0:25:18 > 0:25:21- ..when you're reporting - from the frontline.

0:25:21 > 0:25:26- You develop a close bond with others - doing the same work as yourself.

0:25:27 > 0:25:31- Some are adrenaline junkies, - enjoying the whole experience.

0:25:32 > 0:25:34- This wasn't the case for Philip.

0:25:35 > 0:25:39- He would take a step back - and take time to reflect.

0:25:39 > 0:25:43- He wanted to portray - the effect of war on the civilians.

0:25:44 > 0:25:49- He wanted to show more - about the war and human nature.

0:25:55 > 0:25:59- Philip was the greatest, - there's no doubt about that.

0:25:59 > 0:26:03- He tore up this nonsense - that many journalists describe...

0:26:04 > 0:26:08- ..about there's no place - for the journalist to make a stand.

0:26:08 > 0:26:11- The journalist - must always be dispassionate.

0:26:11 > 0:26:13- Well, that's ridiculous anyway.

0:26:14 > 0:26:17- Philip often objected to this.

0:26:17 > 0:26:23- His photographs were eloquent voices - of protest about this.

0:26:25 > 0:26:31- His photographs were about - the invasion of a country...

0:26:31 > 0:26:34- ..by a faraway country - and the destruction of it.

0:26:43 > 0:26:49- American reporting of the war - was initially very patriotic.

0:26:49 > 0:26:52- They supported their soldiers - in Vietnam...

0:26:53 > 0:26:56- ..in their campaign - against the Red Army.

0:26:56 > 0:26:59- Philip and his fellow - photographers...

0:26:59 > 0:27:04- ..discovered that their photos were - censored by Saigon news agencies.

0:27:04 > 0:27:08- Philip's images of the horror - and suffering were too graphic...

0:27:08 > 0:27:10- ..for the American press.

0:27:11 > 0:27:13- With little money...

0:27:13 > 0:27:18- ..he often had to choose between - a bowl of soup or a roll of film.

0:27:20 > 0:27:24- However, in 1967, while on - an assignment in Cambodia...

0:27:24 > 0:27:26- ..he had a sensational scoop.

0:27:26 > 0:27:30- Photographs of Jackie Kennedy - on holiday with Lord Harlech.

0:27:31 > 0:27:35- He's taken the photos but other - photographers had taken photos too.

0:27:35 > 0:27:37- How would he get them to New York?

0:27:37 > 0:27:42- Philip sent the photos - through the Magnum offices in Paris.

0:27:42 > 0:27:45- His photos were being sent west - to America.

0:27:45 > 0:27:50- The other photographers sent them - east, across the Pacific Ocean.

0:27:52 > 0:27:56- There were terrible storms over - the Pacific Ocean, no planes flew.

0:27:56 > 0:27:59- Philip's photos arrived, - the others didn't.

0:27:59 > 0:28:03- Philip's photos were published - and he made a lot of money.

0:28:04 > 0:28:09- Financially, - he could afford to stay in Vietnam.

0:28:09 > 0:28:11- The following year, in 1968...

0:28:12 > 0:28:16- ..he witnessed one of - the bloodiest episodes of the war.

0:28:16 > 0:28:20- The North Vietnamese army - and the Viet Cong...

0:28:20 > 0:28:23- ..attacked South Vietnam.

0:28:24 > 0:28:28- Philip's photos would inspire - anti-war protests...

0:28:28 > 0:28:31- ..and change - public perception forever.

0:28:31 > 0:28:32- .

0:28:36 > 0:28:36- Subtitles

0:28:36 > 0:28:38- Subtitles- - Subtitles

0:28:41 > 0:28:44- Since his childhood days - in Rhuddlan...

0:28:44 > 0:28:48- ..Philip Jones Griffiths' first love - was photography.

0:28:49 > 0:28:54- From the early '50s, he took - his camera around the world...

0:28:54 > 0:28:57- ..opening the door - to new opportunities.

0:28:58 > 0:29:02- In Vietnam, all the pieces - started falling into place.

0:29:03 > 0:29:08- The stories became more poignant, - made him more angry...

0:29:08 > 0:29:12- ..than he'd ever imagined so he - was more determined to do a book.

0:29:14 > 0:29:18- He found photography had a purpose - that made it a worthwhile pursuit...

0:29:18 > 0:29:22- ..not in an arrogant way - he wanted - not to be wasting his time.

0:29:30 > 0:29:35- Most wars are laboratories - where they test new weapons.

0:29:35 > 0:29:37- Vietnam was no exception.

0:29:37 > 0:29:42- It came at a time in the 1960s - when there was a whole...

0:29:43 > 0:29:47- ..Frankenstein laboratory of weapons - to be tested.

0:29:54 > 0:29:58- The jungle is used as a weapon - during the war.

0:29:59 > 0:30:03- It's a simple way to hide - soldiers, units, people and goods.

0:30:04 > 0:30:10- The jungle is perceived - as an enemy by the Americans.

0:30:12 > 0:30:15- The Americans turn the war - into a technological battle...

0:30:16 > 0:30:19- ..the most technological war - that had ever been.

0:30:19 > 0:30:23- They use a level of weaponry - that hadn't been used before.

0:30:24 > 0:30:26- Two primary chemicals were used.

0:30:29 > 0:30:32- Napalm, - which would cause serious burns...

0:30:32 > 0:30:35- ..and Agent Orange, a defoliant...

0:30:35 > 0:30:38- ..which would destroy - trees and crops...

0:30:38 > 0:30:41- ..and deprive the enemy - of its hiding place.

0:30:43 > 0:30:48- About a quarter of the country - was stripped of its foliage.

0:30:50 > 0:30:53- They would clear - vast areas of the country...

0:30:53 > 0:30:56- ..and if anyone remained - in these areas...

0:30:56 > 0:31:02- ..they were treated as Viet Cong - since all the civilians had left.

0:31:02 > 0:31:05- They would fly over - in their helicopters...

0:31:05 > 0:31:08- ..and shoot anyone they saw moving.

0:31:10 > 0:31:14- A new term was coined - body count.

0:31:14 > 0:31:18- This was how officials - would measure their success.

0:31:18 > 0:31:21- The policy of rewarding - the platoons...

0:31:21 > 0:31:25- ..on the basis of how many - Viet Cong they had killed...

0:31:25 > 0:31:27- ..led to mass killing.

0:31:30 > 0:31:32- One of his great photographs...

0:31:32 > 0:31:37- ..was taken at the American - headquarters at Saigon airport.

0:31:37 > 0:31:40- It's got a group - of American officers...

0:31:40 > 0:31:44- ..sitting around - an old-fashioned IBM computer.

0:31:44 > 0:31:49- They're all spruce and crisp - and looking at it.

0:31:50 > 0:31:53- It's telling them - they're winning the war.

0:31:53 > 0:31:55- There was so much of that.

0:31:55 > 0:31:58- In a way, that was one - of the greatest war pictures...

0:31:58 > 0:32:01- ..because it was nonsense.

0:32:06 > 0:32:10- There's the people sitting - in the air-conditioned rooms...

0:32:10 > 0:32:13- ..thinking seriously and rationally.

0:32:14 > 0:32:16- They don't have to - put their hands in the blood...- - Political - commentator

0:32:16 > 0:32:19- ..and see the children - being torn to shreds.

0:32:19 > 0:32:23- They're the ones who are responsible - for what he is describing...

0:32:24 > 0:32:27- ..in his graphic visual accounts - and descriptions.

0:32:27 > 0:32:30- He basically says, - without using those words...

0:32:31 > 0:32:33- ..that they're the real criminals.

0:32:36 > 0:32:41- People will talk about - this period for many centuries.

0:32:43 > 0:32:48- It's our duty to record - and capture images...

0:32:48 > 0:32:50- ..of these atrocities.

0:32:50 > 0:32:52- It's like the devil's work.

0:33:00 > 0:33:03- The American army in Vietnam - and the Washington administration...

0:33:04 > 0:33:07- ..tried to persuade the public - that they were winning the war.

0:33:08 > 0:33:10- Victory was imminent.

0:33:10 > 0:33:13- On the last day of January, 1968...

0:33:13 > 0:33:16- ..during the Tet Offensive...

0:33:16 > 0:33:19- ..the North Vietnamese army - and the Viet Cong...

0:33:19 > 0:33:24- ..attacked every American-occupied - town, city and military base...

0:33:24 > 0:33:29- ..in South Vietnam, including Saigon - and the ancient city of Hue.

0:33:33 > 0:33:36- When I eventually got there, - I joined up with the 5th Marines...

0:33:37 > 0:33:40- ..and we crossed - the Perfume River...

0:33:41 > 0:33:44- ..but they were facing - a North Vietnamese division...

0:33:45 > 0:33:47- ..the best fighters in the world.

0:33:48 > 0:33:53- 12 days later, and 140 US marines - dead and many injured...

0:33:54 > 0:33:58- ..they did eventually overwhelm - the North Vietnamese...

0:33:58 > 0:34:00- ..but they destroyed the place.

0:34:00 > 0:34:03- In an attempt to regain the city...

0:34:04 > 0:34:08- ..the Americans dropped - 750lb napalm bombs on Hue.

0:34:09 > 0:34:14- I was wounded, - I was scared of the big guns...

0:34:14 > 0:34:18- ..and the bullets flying around - and I was shot.

0:34:18 > 0:34:20- North Vietnamese soldier

0:34:21 > 0:34:25- I didn't expect - to get out of there alive.

0:34:25 > 0:34:29- The Tet Offensive was a shock - for the American army.

0:34:29 > 0:34:31- They succeeded - in regaining territory...

0:34:32 > 0:34:37- ..but at home, questions were being - asked about the war in Vietnam.

0:34:38 > 0:34:43- Tet, and the way Tet was reported - in the press, is very important.

0:34:44 > 0:34:47- The attacks happened in Saigon, - where the press was based.

0:34:48 > 0:34:54- Suddenly, images appeared far - quicker than those from the jungle.

0:34:54 > 0:34:57- Philip was right in the middle - of this.

0:34:57 > 0:34:59- Some of Philip's - most iconic images...

0:34:59 > 0:35:01- ..date from Tet - and the consequences of Tet.

0:35:05 > 0:35:09- You have to have empathy - and compassion and sensitivity...

0:35:09 > 0:35:12- ..to perceive that suffering.

0:35:12 > 0:35:14- Mr Jones Griffiths did.

0:35:17 > 0:35:21- I remember one picture - of a dead little girl in a truck...

0:35:21 > 0:35:24- ..just the sweetest little thing...

0:35:24 > 0:35:27- ..could have had - an entire life ahead of her...

0:35:27 > 0:35:31- ..but because of somebody's - political agenda...

0:35:31 > 0:35:36- ..she and three and a half million - Vietnamese died.

0:35:38 > 0:35:44- His pictures are an important - contribution to humanity.

0:35:44 > 0:35:46- End of story.

0:36:05 > 0:36:09- His images shocked people.

0:36:11 > 0:36:13- South Korean army

0:36:13 > 0:36:18- The photojournalists' images - remind me...

0:36:18 > 0:36:25- ..that we should never - go to war again.

0:36:27 > 0:36:29- Following the Tet Offensive...

0:36:29 > 0:36:34- ..America increased its military - presence to half a million soldiers.

0:36:34 > 0:36:37- It was a war that looked - impossible to win.

0:36:38 > 0:36:42- Photographers like Philip brought - the war to the public's attention...

0:36:42 > 0:36:45- ..and opposition to the war - grew across the world.

0:36:46 > 0:36:46- .

0:36:50 > 0:36:50- Subtitles

0:36:50 > 0:36:52- Subtitles- - Subtitles

0:36:57 > 0:37:01- Despite political protests, - in America and across the world...

0:37:02 > 0:37:04- ..the Vietnam War dragged on.

0:37:04 > 0:37:07- Most of the journalists - had moved on...

0:37:08 > 0:37:11- ..but Philip's obsession continued.

0:37:13 > 0:37:15- He now had enough images...

0:37:15 > 0:37:19- ..to create one of the greatest - photography books ever.

0:37:22 > 0:37:25- This book was to be its own entity.

0:37:25 > 0:37:27- It was a brilliant conception.

0:37:27 > 0:37:31- To have the balls, you know...

0:37:31 > 0:37:33- ..to carry it through...

0:37:33 > 0:37:37- ..it was one of the great - photojournalist books.

0:37:39 > 0:37:44- Vietnam Inc, published in 1971...

0:37:44 > 0:37:46- ..was Philip's first book.

0:37:46 > 0:37:50- The powerful collection of black - and white images...

0:37:50 > 0:37:52- ..would have a far-reaching impact.

0:37:53 > 0:37:58- The greatest legacy that Philip - left behind is Vietnam Inc.

0:37:58 > 0:38:00- I forecast - that in 100 years' time...

0:38:01 > 0:38:04- ..there will be people - still talking about Vietnam Inc.

0:38:05 > 0:38:11- It conveyed graphically and - with tremendous skill and honesty...

0:38:12 > 0:38:15- ..the nature of what war is - to the victims.

0:38:16 > 0:38:18- That's what Jones Griffiths did...

0:38:19 > 0:38:22- ..in the worst crime - of the post-Second World War era...

0:38:22 > 0:38:24- ..with a major impact.

0:38:24 > 0:38:29- Philip Jones Griffiths - cared for his subjects.

0:38:29 > 0:38:35- The subjects in front of that - Leica lens, he cared for them.

0:38:36 > 0:38:39- He cared not simply - for the children.

0:38:40 > 0:38:43- He cared for the old men, - he cared for the women...

0:38:44 > 0:38:49- ..who somehow survived - and kept families together.

0:38:49 > 0:38:54- He cared for the soldiers who were - fighting on the losing side.

0:39:00 > 0:39:05- He had an admiration for the - country, the sense of the country.

0:39:06 > 0:39:09- He describes - every time he went back...

0:39:09 > 0:39:18- ..how, you know, the climate - worked wonderfully on 'me bones'.

0:39:20 > 0:39:22- He loved that sultry climate.

0:39:22 > 0:39:27- So I would think that Philip - loved everything about Vietnam...

0:39:27 > 0:39:32- ..except the terrible violence - that was imposed on that country.

0:39:34 > 0:39:36- In April 1975...

0:39:36 > 0:39:42- ..the North Vietnamese Army captured - Saigon bringing the war to an end.

0:39:42 > 0:39:45- The American campaign had failed...

0:39:45 > 0:39:48- ..but for Philip, - the story was far from over.

0:39:50 > 0:39:52- You couldn't see it.

0:39:53 > 0:39:55- It's liquid, you couldn't see it.

0:39:55 > 0:39:58- We sprayed it everywhere... - insecticide.

0:39:59 > 0:40:02- Something to kill the weeds.

0:40:04 > 0:40:08- Then we saw them going to - the helicopters and spraying it.

0:40:13 > 0:40:18- Some of Philip's most shocking - and moving photographs...

0:40:19 > 0:40:22- ..were taken after the war - when he went back...

0:40:23 > 0:40:26- ..into the villages - and into hospitals...

0:40:26 > 0:40:28- ..and found - the children of parents...

0:40:28 > 0:40:31- ..that had been contaminated - with Agent Orange.

0:40:36 > 0:40:40- Twenty million gallons - of Agent Orange was sprayed...

0:40:40 > 0:40:43- ..by the Americans and their allies.

0:40:43 > 0:40:45- It contained a harmful dioxin...

0:40:45 > 0:40:49- ..which caused cancer - and disabilities in babies.

0:40:52 > 0:40:55- Large parts of South Vietnam - were poisoned...

0:40:55 > 0:40:59- ..and the chemical penetrated - the soil and the food chain...

0:40:59 > 0:41:03- ..resulting in devastating - long-term consequences.

0:41:14 > 0:41:19- I remember the first time - I encountered this in the '60s.

0:41:20 > 0:41:26- Many babies were born - with disabilities.

0:41:26 > 0:41:32- By 1969, I saw a huge increase.

0:41:32 > 0:41:36- At the time, nobody took - any notice, nobody cared.

0:41:37 > 0:41:41- They were more interested...

0:41:41 > 0:41:45- ..in the war than in Agent Orange.

0:41:49 > 0:41:52- But Dr Phuong had noticed.

0:41:52 > 0:41:56- She established - the Agent Orange Research Unit...

0:41:56 > 0:41:59- ..which is home - to the affected children.

0:41:59 > 0:42:05- This little baby was left on the - hospital's doorstep only yesterday.

0:42:05 > 0:42:09- She is the third generation - since the war...

0:42:10 > 0:42:13- ..to suffer the effects - of Agent Orange.

0:42:16 > 0:42:18- After detailed research...

0:42:18 > 0:42:22- ..Philip published his book - on Agent Orange in 2002...

0:42:22 > 0:42:26- ..bringing the long-term - effects of the poisonous chemical...

0:42:26 > 0:42:28- ..to the world's attention.

0:42:30 > 0:42:33- That was the clever part - about tackling Agent Orange.

0:42:34 > 0:42:38- In a way, it wasn't just about - spraying and killing the leaves.

0:42:38 > 0:42:42- It was like spraying the nation - and killing the unborn children.

0:42:43 > 0:42:45- I feel it was clever - in that respect.

0:42:45 > 0:42:49- He was quick, you see, - mentally and politically quick.

0:42:49 > 0:42:54- Agent Orange was certainly - one of his cleverest observations.

0:42:59 > 0:43:03- According to the Red Cross - in Vietnam...

0:43:03 > 0:43:10- ..over three million sufferers - live in the country today...

0:43:10 > 0:43:14- ..including - half a million children...

0:43:14 > 0:43:18- ..born to parents - who were themselves affected...

0:43:18 > 0:43:22- ..or poisoned - through their mothers' milk.

0:43:23 > 0:43:30- Most lived in areas - near the military bases.

0:43:30 > 0:43:38- Traces of these poisonous - chemicals still exist there.

0:43:41 > 0:43:43- Children living in the unit - have asked me...

0:43:44 > 0:43:50- ..to help them plant trees as part - of a scheme in South Vietnam...

0:43:50 > 0:43:54- ..to breathe new life into - the countryside after the war.

0:44:05 > 0:44:09- In America, former soldiers - affected by the chemical...

0:44:10 > 0:44:12- ..have received compensation.

0:44:12 > 0:44:16- However, the chemical companies - maintain their innocence.

0:44:16 > 0:44:20- Vietnam, - like many other countries...

0:44:20 > 0:44:22- ..still fights for justice.

0:44:22 > 0:44:26- Former soldier Kim Sun Chang - from South Korea...

0:44:26 > 0:44:28- ..continues his fight.

0:44:28 > 0:44:32- It was confirmed - that the chemical had poisoned me.

0:44:33 > 0:44:38- There is no recovery, - it's with me forever.

0:44:39 > 0:44:45- My son was born - with a hearing impairment.

0:44:46 > 0:44:52- The poison was in my body - and I passed it on to my son.

0:44:52 > 0:44:54- He's deaf.

0:44:55 > 0:44:59- That broke my heart.

0:45:01 > 0:45:05- The War Museum is one of - the largest tourist attractions...

0:45:05 > 0:45:08- ..in Ho Chi Minh, formerly Saigon.

0:45:08 > 0:45:10- The museum is also home...

0:45:11 > 0:45:14- ..to a collection of - Philip's Agent Orange photographs.

0:45:15 > 0:45:20- The museum attracts over half a - million overseas tourists annually.

0:45:20 > 0:45:23- I think he had - a very sharp instinct...

0:45:23 > 0:45:29- ..for being able to show suffering - in photography and evoke compassion.

0:45:31 > 0:45:35- Philip would follow through with - the people he was photographing.

0:45:35 > 0:45:39- He wouldn't photograph them once - and forget about them.

0:45:39 > 0:45:42- He would revisit them - and try and help.

0:45:45 > 0:45:49- Katherine and Fanny were born - at the beginning of the '80s...

0:45:49 > 0:45:52- ..Philip's daughters - from two relationships...

0:45:53 > 0:45:55- ..with Heather Holden - and Donna Ferrato.

0:45:55 > 0:46:00- By then, Philip lived in New York - and was the president of Magnum.

0:46:02 > 0:46:04- His travels continued...

0:46:04 > 0:46:08- ..as did his obsession - with South-East Asia.

0:46:14 > 0:46:17- When Philip was diagnosed - with cancer...

0:46:17 > 0:46:19- ..it was about 2001.

0:46:20 > 0:46:24- He died seven years later - so he had a long time...

0:46:25 > 0:46:28- ..to make sure his work - was archived properly.

0:46:28 > 0:46:31- He discussed - with Katherine and Fanny...

0:46:31 > 0:46:34- ..about the - Philip Jones Griffiths Foundation.

0:46:35 > 0:46:39- As trustees, his daughters - have the responsibility...

0:46:39 > 0:46:44- ..of maintaining their father's - archive of 150,000 slides...

0:46:44 > 0:46:46- ..and 30,000 prints.

0:46:48 > 0:46:52- Philip wanted his archive used - to show the injustice of war...

0:46:53 > 0:46:58- ..and he left one condition - - that his archive remained in Wales.

0:47:02 > 0:47:07- The closest I got to Philip - was the two hours before he died.

0:47:07 > 0:47:09- It was quite moving and tragic.

0:47:09 > 0:47:12- I was very moved and upset by it.

0:47:12 > 0:47:17- Even thinking about it, I thought - this bloody old rogue he was...

0:47:17 > 0:47:21- ..we were still friends - and we met when we were very young.

0:47:21 > 0:47:24- It meant a lot to me, you know...

0:47:24 > 0:47:30- ..to have spent - all those years knowing Philip.

0:47:33 > 0:47:37- Philip was a citizen of the world. - He saw the world as one.

0:47:37 > 0:47:41- A large place and the individual - was a small part of it.

0:47:41 > 0:47:45- It just so happened that he was - a Welshman in this huge jigsaw.

0:47:45 > 0:47:48- That was the main thing for him.

0:47:48 > 0:47:53- He was a Welshman within the world, - not just Europe but the world.

0:47:57 > 0:47:59- The legacy depends on us.

0:47:59 > 0:48:02- We can say, "OK, we don't care. - Let's do it again."

0:48:03 > 0:48:05- Or we can learn the lesson...

0:48:05 > 0:48:10- ..that he conveyed with his very - courageous and brilliant work...

0:48:10 > 0:48:14- ..and decide we're not going to - let this happen again.

0:48:14 > 0:48:17- He can't create his legacy - - only we can.

0:48:22 > 0:48:25- I'm not religious, of course...

0:48:25 > 0:48:27- ..but the reason we live...

0:48:27 > 0:48:31- ..is to leave the world - a better place when we've gone.

0:49:00 > 0:49:02- S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

0:49:02 > 0:49:02- .