Escalation focuses on the growing U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia from the mid-50's and early 60's, a time when America sent 'military assistance and advice' to a beleaguered South Vietnam increasingly under attack by the Communist North. American involvement escalated dramatically after the first combat Marines arrived in 1965 and the bombing campaign known as Rolling Thunder began. Through first-hand accounts of the men and women who were there, the documentary explores how they flew the planes, cruised up the Mekong Delta, and slogged through the jungles and rice paddies to try to locate an elusive enemy. Veterans of the rear echelon describe how they supplied the mountains of materiel necessary to support the growing forces. Escalation also explores the new tactics our military used in this war to fight an almost unseen enemy, including the same guerilla tactics they employed, and embracing the groundbreaking technology of helicopter warfare.
