When
the U.S. withdrew from Vietnam in 1975, one of its last acts was the dramatic
transport of 2,800 South Vietnamese children into American homes almost overnight.
This film reveals the complex story of Operation Babylift. For the military
it seemed like a final act of redemption; to the Hanoi government, a propaganda
ploy; and for most Americans, a final compassionate gesture in a war they wanted
to forget. Those least able to forget are the babies -- now in their mid-20s to early 30s. A small group of them met each other for the first time, bonded, and journeyed back to Vietnam. Raised in relative affluence, they confront the overcrowding and poverty as well as the beauty and culture of their homeland, wrestling with their identity and complex feelings of loss and gratitude, connection and detachment. Seeking clues to their past, none blame their mothers for giving them up for adoption, understanding how dangerous Vietnam was at the time. The program includes an exclusive interview with the pilot and chief flight nurse of the first flight which tragically crashed shortly after takeoff, casting a shadow over Operation Babylift.
Also featured are the pioneering adoptive parents of the 1970s who embraced these biracial and sometimes handicapped children as their own. They began a movement that has grown to redefine the American family.
Produced in association with the Independent Television Service (ITVS) with major funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
