Asian Americans and Vietnam

Asian Americans and Vietnam

February 2007

The final film documentary of the 4 part series, Asian Americans and Vietnam was completed in February 2007.

"Lily Goes Home" chronicles the life and times of combat nurse, Lt. Lily Lee Adams as she returns to the Oakland after more than a year in Cu Chi, Vietnam.

Others in the series:

"American Nurse" 1992 is a profile of Lt. Lily Lee Adams and her experience as a combat nurse in Cu Chi, 1969-1970.

"Sweet Heat" 1998 profiles journalist, Don Lau and soldier Cole Lew as they recount their lives in Vietnam as members of the U.S. military.

"The Insanity of It All" 2002 tells the story of Don Lau and Cole Lew as they readjust to civilian life after stationed in Vietnam

American Nurse (1992)

America's war in Vietnam is over. But the scars of that war remain with many Asian Americans who were sent there. More than 60,000 Asian Americans served in the United States armed forces during the Vietnam war. Many who lived through this lost war in Southeast Asian still suffer silently from post traumatic stress disorder. But there are others willing to speak out about the conditions that they, as Americans of Asian ancestry, experienced in Vietnam. New York-born Lieutenant Lily Lee (Adams), now of Mill Valley, California nursed wounded American soldiers and worked in triage for a year in Cu Chi. Her story in American Nurse chronicles one Asian American woman's wartime experience and presents the reasons behind her decision to serve in a war against an Asian people. She tells of her time in Vietnam, what she saw, what she felt, her attitudes towards war and the racism that Asian Americans suffered in Vietnam and the United States.

American Nurse is an innovative departure from the traditional news and public affairs oriented way of telling a television documentary story. The documentary is first of a four part series on Asian Americans in Vietnam.

Airings:

• PBS
• KCTS-TV
• Channel 9 Seattle, 1993
• Military Channel, Washington, D.C., 1994

Screenings:

• Hiroshima Firlm Festival, 1993
• Asian Cenevision, New York, 1993
• American Museum of Natural History, New York, 1993
• Olympia Film Festival, 1992

Distributors:

• Video Out (Vancouver)

Original music.

Duration: 29:23

Asian American Film

Sweet Heat (1998)

Sixty thousand men and women of Asian ancestry served in the United States armed forces during the Vietnam War. Many fought in the Vietnam as gunners, helicopter pilots and infantrymen. Some worked as nurses, journalist and other support staff. Fort Lewis, WA was often the military base that Asian American soldiers first encountered. As a basic training facility, many experienced their first overt act of military racism when drill sergeants would point these men out and say to the rest, "men, this is what the gook, the enemy looks like." Cole Lew of San Francisco's Chinatown and Don Lau, born in New York encountered the "gook" calling and much more while in Vietnam.

Sweet Heat is their story as they survived the insanity of war, cried when their buddies died, underwent "friendly fire" because they looked like the enemy, encountered MPs asking them to name the winner of the 1933 World Series and returned to the United States without ceremony or thanks.

Sweet Heat is the second a four part series on Asian Americans in Vietnam. American Nurse was completed in 199. The others are Back to America and California Home.

Original Vietnam war footage with songover by Patricia Faith.

Original compsitions- Sweet Heat, Knight in Shining Armor by Patricia Faith.

Distributors: Video Out (Vancouver)

Duration: 28:40

Asian American Film

How to Purchase Asian Americans and Vietnam

How to Purchase Asian Americans and Vietnam

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tony Chan

647/343-9178

gumshan1@yahoo.com

Asian Americans

and Vietnam

A 4 part documentary series

85,000 enlisted Asian Pacific American men and women served in the United States armed forces during the Vietnam war (1961-1975).

This four part documentary film series is the first to chronicle the lives of combat nurse Lily Lee Adams, military journalist Don Lau, and serviceman Cole Lew from a purely Asian Pacific American perspective.

They recount their time in Vietnam enduring friendly fire, racial discrimination, combat experience, and the loss of comrades while suffering from shame and post traumatic stress disorder after their return to the United States.

Their story is an untold, unique glimpse into Asian Pacific America and its wartime experience.

Lily Goes Home, 2007

The Insanity of it All, 2002

Sweet Heat, 1998

American Nurse, 1992

For a review copy or purchase, contact the producer/director, Tony Chan, 647/343-9178, gumshan1@yahoo.com.

Purchase price for the set of four: $80.