Content & Trigger Warnings for The Vietnam War (2017)
18 content warnings identified for this show.
Quick Summary
Yes, The Vietnam War (2017) contains 18 content warnings : Racial slurs / racism (depicted), Death of a child, Grief / bereavement (major focus), Suicide (discussed or ideation), Genocide / ethnic cleansing, Natural disasters, War / combat, Blood / medical gore, Confined spaces (claustrophobia), Drug use (depicted), Animal cruelty / animal death, Child abuse / harm to children, Gore / graphic violence, Gun violence, Police brutality, Self-harm / suicide (depicted), Sexual assault / rape, Torture.
The most severe warnings are for Racial slurs / racism (depicted) (severity 4/5), Death of a child (severity 4/5), Grief / bereavement (major focus) (severity 5/5), Genocide / ethnic cleansing (severity 4/5), War / combat (severity 5/5), Blood / medical gore (severity 5/5), Gore / graphic violence (severity 5/5), Gun violence (severity 5/5), Torture (severity 4/5).
Check the full breakdown below before you watch.
Set up your trigger profile to see which warnings affect you.
| Warning | Season | Severity | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identity & Discrimination | ||||
| Racial slurs / racism (depicted) | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Racial tensions within the U.S. military and at home are extensively documented, including racial slurs, discrimination against Black soldiers, and the intersection of the civil rights movement with the war. |
| Mental Health & Emotional | ||||
| Death of a child | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Archival footage and discussion of children killed in the war, including the impact of napalm and bombing on civilian populations. |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Intensely emotional interviews with veterans, civilians, and families who lost loved ones. Many interviewees break down while recalling traumatic experiences. |
| Suicide (discussed or ideation) | All | 3/5 | Referenced | Veterans discuss suicidal thoughts and PTSD in the aftermath of the war. The psychological toll on survivors is a significant theme. |
| Other | ||||
| Genocide / ethnic cleansing | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Coverage of mass killings and massacres during the war, including the My Lai massacre and systematic targeting of civilian populations. |
| Natural disasters | All | 1/5 | Referenced | Brief references to the challenging tropical environment and monsoon conditions affecting military operations. |
| War / combat | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Extensive archival footage and detailed accounts of combat throughout the Vietnam War, including firefights, bombings, napalm strikes, and ground assaults. |
| Phobias & Sensory | ||||
| Blood / medical gore | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Graphic archival footage frequently shows blood from wounded and dead soldiers and civilians. |
| Confined spaces (claustrophobia) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Footage and accounts of tunnel warfare, with soldiers crawling through extremely narrow underground passages used by the Viet Cong. |
| Substance Use | ||||
| Drug use (depicted) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Extensive coverage of widespread drug use among American soldiers in Vietnam, including heroin and marijuana use. |
| Violence & Physical Harm | ||||
| Animal cruelty / animal death | All | 2/5 | Depicted | Archival footage shows environmental destruction from defoliants and bombing that killed wildlife. Some footage of animals affected by the war. |
| Child abuse / harm to children | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Images and accounts of children harmed by the war, including iconic photographic evidence of child victims. |
| Gore / graphic violence | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Graphic archival footage of war casualties, dead bodies, severe injuries, and the aftermath of bombings and combat operations. |
| Gun violence | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Pervasive depictions of firearms use in combat, including executions, shootings of civilians, and battlefield violence captured on film. |
| Police brutality | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Footage of violent police responses to anti-war protesters in the United States, including the 1968 Democratic Convention clashes. |
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | All | 3/5 | Referenced | Discussion of veteran suicides and self-destructive behavior resulting from wartime trauma and PTSD. |
| Sexual assault / rape | All | 3/5 | Referenced | Sexual violence committed during the war is discussed by veterans and historians, though not shown on screen. |
| Torture | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Accounts and images of torture of prisoners of war by both sides, including testimony from POWs about their experiences. |
Identity & Discrimination
Racial tensions within the U.S. military and at home are extensively documented, including racial slurs, discrimination against Black soldiers, and the intersection of the civil rights movement with the war.
Mental Health & Emotional
Archival footage and discussion of children killed in the war, including the impact of napalm and bombing on civilian populations.
Intensely emotional interviews with veterans, civilians, and families who lost loved ones. Many interviewees break down while recalling traumatic experiences.
Veterans discuss suicidal thoughts and PTSD in the aftermath of the war. The psychological toll on survivors is a significant theme.
Other
Coverage of mass killings and massacres during the war, including the My Lai massacre and systematic targeting of civilian populations.
Brief references to the challenging tropical environment and monsoon conditions affecting military operations.
Extensive archival footage and detailed accounts of combat throughout the Vietnam War, including firefights, bombings, napalm strikes, and ground assaults.
Phobias & Sensory
Graphic archival footage frequently shows blood from wounded and dead soldiers and civilians.
Footage and accounts of tunnel warfare, with soldiers crawling through extremely narrow underground passages used by the Viet Cong.
Substance Use
Extensive coverage of widespread drug use among American soldiers in Vietnam, including heroin and marijuana use.
Violence & Physical Harm
Archival footage shows environmental destruction from defoliants and bombing that killed wildlife. Some footage of animals affected by the war.
Images and accounts of children harmed by the war, including iconic photographic evidence of child victims.
Graphic archival footage of war casualties, dead bodies, severe injuries, and the aftermath of bombings and combat operations.
Pervasive depictions of firearms use in combat, including executions, shootings of civilians, and battlefield violence captured on film.
Footage of violent police responses to anti-war protesters in the United States, including the 1968 Democratic Convention clashes.
Discussion of veteran suicides and self-destructive behavior resulting from wartime trauma and PTSD.
Sexual violence committed during the war is discussed by veterans and historians, though not shown on screen.
Accounts and images of torture of prisoners of war by both sides, including testimony from POWs about their experiences.





