history. tylerday night on q&a, about the diaries the give-and-take on washington d.c. from 1960-1969. >> it was remarkable all the things he did. sometimes he would criticize since self in the diary. says, i think that column was too strong, i should not have said it quite that way, or lyndon johnson will get mad at the for the way i wrote that column. he needed to be told. i wrote it, and i'm glad i wrote. >> sunday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on q and a.

abell. >> real america brings you context for contemporary issues. beginning in april, an intervention to help evacuate during the civil war in the dominican republic. the film features action in vietnam, including a look at the challenges of terrain in the country, the importance of the helicopter and airpower, and efforts to assist rural be to me's -- been amused people with security and health care. [gunfire] [coughing] what possessed you to run off like that. ? >> the marines.

of pain in that left ankle. it is that sharp pain you get when you have nerves, you know. it is that sharp nerve pain, burning, burning. >> i will do all i can to say that leg. >> i know. i know. i know there is not much left. i carried that thing in my hand on the way back. i was afraid the whole thing would, off. ♪ for these marines, 1965 was like a year no other in history.

for the first time, fleet marine forces were committed to combat in both hemispheres at once. ♪ >> in the dominican republic, violence flared, endangering the security of the hemisphere. the marines were sent in. ♪ >> and in vietnam, growing communist aggression was answered with the commitment of battle ready marines from the pacific fleet. ♪ >> all in all, it was quite a year.

it. is the story of ♪ >> the caribbean in april, bluewater, gentle surf, sun-lit leisurely teaches. ♪ -- beaches. ♪ >> warm, laughter, and fun. 1965, it becomes a scene of violence, unrest, and angry up people, danger and the security of the hemisphere. it is a threat that is immediately recognized. >> the american nation cannot, not permitnd will the establishment of another communist government in the western hemisphere.

>> on april 28, word comes to the carrier boxer that help is needed in santo domingo. a readyts, marines of battalion at station in the caribbean are airborne. ♪ like to other such ready battalions on ships in the mediterranean and middle east, the boxer is able to act literally on a moments notice. ♪ after the call for help is received, a spearhead platoon with full combat gear is on the ground in the dominican republic. ♪ quickly, the platoon sets up a defense perimeter to ensure the safety of the american embassy and civilians who have taken refugees -- refuge in the

ambassador hotel. ♪ immediately, united states citizens are evacuated run the danger area. ♪ >> as the situation in domingo grows worse, the company follows the platoon ashore. ♪ join thempany is to rest of the battalion. ♪

[gunfire] >> one of the first jobs is to clear a corridor for movement and communications, and provide a buffer zone, a neutral area between rebel forces and dominican government. [gunfire] >♪ >> within the neutral core door, once it is established, the situation becomes fairly stable. to wander out of it, even by mistake, can mean trouble. ♪

>> of four marines whose chief wondered out of the corridor, to are on their way to medical aid, the other two are in less friendly hands, but an angry marine who just saw a couple of his buddies hurt does not make a cooperative prisoner. awayey were seven blocks from the international line. on the way to the airport seven blocks away. >> we made a wrong turn, got halfway up the street, and your people started shooting at us. you hit one of our men. >> you better take it easy. we will give you all the guarantees of a prisoner. we will not tolerate it. >> you can throw your weight

around just like that? to announcerdered that we are sorry that the , fromion has taken place their side and our side. we hope they avoid trouble. ♪ >> snipers are a constant problem, but marines managed to keep their sense of humor. >> there was this one guy, he couldn't hit anything. every afternoon he would fire a few rounds down our way and we would stay in cover more or less, but he never came close to anybody. we left him alone. we clean him out, they might put someone in there who could shoot. >> other times, the sniper

problem requires action. [gunfire] >> as things settle down, the job becomes one of maintaining security. this means a constant and careful search of all the vision traffic from the neutral .orridor no hiding place is overlooked which might conceal weapons, a means of renewing violence in the core door. -- corridor. ♪ >> so the marines remain in santo domingo, ready to stay until the danger is passed an order is fully restored. ♪ start infiltrating your

people down. >> sir? >> start infiltrating your people down. [gunfire] [machine gun fire] ld's finest machine gun. >> i want more. he put it in. >> i want more over there. >> cease-fire. >> the amount, a wounded marine is rescued under heavy fire. his buddy is question. >> what possessed you to run off into the patty like that?

>> a marine. >> what you mean? >> he is a marine. i will take care of him. >> were you scared? >> a little bit after i got out there. incombat is never easy, but vietnam it is especially hard. one reason is the terrain. mud boot-topwith deep, streams crossing the ,atties and valleys hills, steve and as unfriendly as those in korea. p and as unfriendly as those in korea. jungle, hot, steaming,

as hostile as the marines faced in the pacific during world war ii. an answer to the near impossibility of the enemies terrain is the helicopter. the neat that staccato slap of rotor blades, via -- marines can move to where the vietnamese are quickly and arrive fresh, ready to function. ♪ >> for the marines, this is no new concept. ♪ it was in the early 19 80's that for the first time a helicopter assault was used to take ground, korea, combat troops landed. ♪ supplies forll their assault. it had never been tried before, but was carefully worked out in advance. ♪ >> the operation was successful.

the people who did it were united states marines. ♪ at one area in the 19th seas, navy seabees clear the way for another innovation, which sees its use in vietnam, the landing lf for short. they interlock to form a smooth landing service. the navy seabees make it look easy, putting down the runway and setting up the gear. type landing lights, air portable control tower, the navy seabees have in fact taken a

carrier deck and moved it ashore. ♪ >> the first skyhawk jets to arrive are quickly ready for action. ♪ >> just four hours after the first jets land, they are taking off again to fly there first mission and close support of ground troops in the field. ♪ >> the board air controller with

the ground forces is a combat pilot himself, talking directly to the jets, pinpointing targets for them. ♪ >> the result of this direct voice linked with airborne jets is an absolute minimum of delay between the time that ground troops need air support and the time they get it, laid in close. ♪ combat success of the expeditionary landing field is another example of marine mobility. the landing strip, control

tower, the whole works, can be taken apart and airlifted to another location. for now, it's working just fine here. ♪ >> elsewhere on high ground above the huge air bessette ,enying -- airbase at danang enemy air has not yet been a problem in vietnam, what should it,, the hawks are waiting. the hawks areome, waiting. the business of delivering destruction to the viet cong is another wound -- around the clock to. marine phantom jets are doing a big part of that job, and it is this kind of weapon system, this complexity and sophistication of striking power which leads observers to use the term, the "the new --

breed" when talking about today's marine. the phantom can break the sound barrier wall climbing up from takeoff and moving into action at twice the speed of sound. ♪ >> the armor meant they can deliver offers wide flexibly, to , ranging from bombs and 20 millimeter cannons, two rockets and missiles. ♪ the flame and shrapnel of the marine jets is not delivered casually, a necessity to be sure of targets, minimize danger for the innocent, always agonizingly present. ♪

>> for some, the price of humane hesitancy comes by, like this marine colonel, hit while controlling jet air support from a helicopter. >> i got a lot of pain in the left ankle. it is a good sign. it is that sharp pain you get when you got nerves, you know. it is that sharp nerve pain, burning, burning. >> i will do all i can to say that leg >> to i know there is not much left. i was caring that damn in my hands all the way back. i was afraid the whole thing was going to come off. didn't call bombs and napalm in on these people. that's where they were. i'm sure that that's where they were. napalm on the women and children. i just didn't do it.

they can't be there. there, the planes up figured we call if we needed them. as far as i know, i flew down at 200 feet over this village. i thought i saw some people in a hole, and i just hung around there too long, too low, but i was way back down over the friendly troops that we landed. i was over those troops. round, theret this was no indication we had been fired at until then. [explosions] areince all the operations in coastal areas, the naval support is something marines can always count on.

♪ forcesng 1965, marine launch a number of large-scale offensive operation, operation star late, harvest moon, and piranha, written into history. in such operations as these, the young marines of the new on north vietnamese regulars, regiment strength and greater. using the advanced weaponry and mobility, the marines seek out the enemy, and wherever they find him, they beat him decisively, not just tactical defeat, virtual elimination of all combat capability, the way the official reports put it. fire]ne gun ♪

>> fire. [mortae fire] [mortar fire] ♪ >> in their first major trial by fire, youngsters who were too young even to read about korea work with a cool, professional skill that leaves one old-timer to remark -- >> the young marines are just as good marines today as there were 15 years ago, and possibly a lot better as far as intelligence

and their capabilities are concerned. they are real fine, as far as i am concerned. >> [inaudible] >> [inaudible] we are pulling out. as soon as we get underway. >> ok. one, this 6. >> roger, we got it. i want you to set up that defense. >> ok, we're going to put you down. ready? ok. left side. >> all right. >> ready.

>> you in pain a lot? >> i need some help over here. >> i will give you a hand. [gunfire] >> you want any water or anything? >> take it easy, man. put your leg down. >> all the way up. lay still, man. ok? >> evacuate the man to the rear where we can get him out on a chopper. you understand, over? >> the chopper saves a lot of lives in vietnam, being airlifted to combat to an aid station, where navy surgeons are ready and waiting.

that's what we would do until then. >> get me out of here. >> marine casualties have been like in vietnam, but there is no warfare without its pain, both felt and shared. ♪ marines in vietnam learn fast to take nothing at a style you, far too often beneath the outer appearance of a harmless civilian, there is the familiar black garb of the vietcong guerrilla. ♪ >> the viet cong is a tough, ruthless jungle fighter, experienced in being hard to find, but in places like okinawa, you would you met, -- iwo jima, the marines have

learned, too. ♪ >> without their weapons, they look so insignificant, but the vc is hard. his then, wiry body can take great hardship, and his mind when not shrink from bearing a village chief alive or executing all the legitimate voters if it might rather his aims. ♪ -- burying a village chief alive or executing all the legitimate elders if it might further his aims. ♪ >> he can't be beaten his home ground, and eaton badly.

an operation starlight, harvest moon, and corunna, the marines have demonstrated this beyond anyone's doubting, including the viet cong. the viet cong are not the only problem. in dark, little villages, the same ones that viet cong have operated in, marines find the people they have come to help, people who have lived for too long in fear. are a vietnamese wonderful people as far as i am concerned, and they need help, and we are a strong nation and we can give them help and they have asked for help, so we are here. >> i always had the feeling that if we could get the feeling across to the people of the amount that the people of the united states were behind them and wanted them to be free, they could have the things that have been denied for so many years, that we could possibly bring peace to these people. >> tenures from now, the people will forget the bullets and shells, but remove this if

nothing else, if we're going to win this war, we will do it here , but we will do it on the battlefield. that is the only way. country,ve in the rise their standard of living is very low by our standards. they had very few comforts. they live from >> crop to >> crop. to rice groep. >> this is the other war, the one where they're working with civilians to build hope and strength of the future. it takes many forms, standing heart over the harvesting of rice, which is paid a big part of each crop to the viacom. helping them bring it in and storing it, letting them see that they and their crops will be safe from now on. it is simple, and it is practical. it is appreciated and it works.

singing] ♪ in another village, navy rpmen help the people fight against sickness. ♪ >> teaching the fundamentals of sanitation, waging combat .gainst infection ♪ >> bringing smiles to face is that for too long have reflected only fear and despair. >> we was out in the village

below us here, giving out christmas things that people from the states sent over, and we want to let everyone know reallyme that the kids need a lot, and believe me, they really enjoy everything they get. ♪ >> historian and author william davis talks about the different upbringings of grant and lee, and how their childhoods impacted their lives. argues that grants optimistic worldview were brought about the freedom and responsibility he was given by his father. in contrast, mr. davis suggest