By Benjamin Snow
"Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry" is a documentary about Kerry’s combat duty in Vietnam and how committed he was to fighting for his country. The film also shows the various activities that led to Kerry’s political career.
In the years after his service in Vietnam ended in 1969, Kerry became a well-known spokesman on ending the bloodshed and never lost hope that his speeches and actions would change public opinion and help bring an end to the war. He also was one of the first people to start Vietnam Veterans Against the War.
There are interviews in the movie with some of Kerry's friends and war buddies. For example, former classmate Danny Barbiero mentions, ”I think some of his drive comes from wanting to succeed for his father.”
In another interview, journalist Thomas Oliphant conveys how Kerry went to numerous congressional hearings and protest meetings to soak up everything he could about the animosity many veterans were feeling. ”He didn’t want this to be a movement of people telling horror stories,” Oliphant states, “he wanted it to be part of a successful national conversation to change public opinion about the war."
John Kerry is now a U.S. Senator representing Massachusetts, and he was among the elected officials who voted to support the president’s decision to go to war in Iraq.
Will future elections play a role in the current national conversation about war?
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