https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkoXqXAGvkE

Part one, Riders On The Storm begins during the era of flower power, Vietnam and LSD. Inspired by The Beatles and Rolling Stones, who were at the forefront of the musical change at this time, bands started to form all over America. Unlike the rock 'n' roll pioneers of the 1950s, these new bands, such as The Doors and Jefferson Airplane, wrote their own songs which reflected the social and political world around them. They not only sang about the revolution, they were the revolution. After the hope surrounding JFK's short tenure as president, the Vietnam war raged out of control and thousands of young men were being drafted to fight. The flower power movement hoped the peace and love mantra would change the world, with rock music being a beacon of hope for those who believed in the ideals of equality and freedom. But by 1968, and following Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King's assassinations, the country was besieged by violence on the streets. As the climate changed, from one of hope to one of revolution, the music changed with it. Woodstock festival in 1969 wanted to inspire a new generation of artists to lead the revolution with political songs, but instead proved to be a watershed moment for rock music's reactionary era. The marketing men were at the gates, keen to turn this music from protest into big money.

Interviewees include John Densmore and Ray Manzarek of the Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival's Doug Clifford, Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane, Alice Cooper, Tom Petty, MC5's Wayne Kramer and Steppenwolf's John Kay.

[h=3]George Alayon
These guys that opposed the Vietnam War still don't realize that they were instrumental in the reason why we lost the war. War sucks but when the US pulled out of the war because of public opinion against the war,2 million people slaughtered. The North Vietnamese took advantage of the opposition in the US and won the war politically. The Tet Offensive in 1968 was the classic example of how you can lose a battle and win a war. Everything Gerald says about the military effects of Tet are true; from a straight military analysis Tet was a disastrous battle for the North. Every gain that the NV's made in Tet was retaken within about a month, and the NVA was badly hurt while the Viet Cong essentially ceased to exist as a coherent force.[/h]

But Tet also represents a perfect demonstration of Clausewitz, because the Tet offensive was never about winning a military victory. The Tet offensive won the war for the North Vietnamese; it was a military disaster but a political triumph. Chairman Ho lost badly in Viet Nam, but won in the United States, and that was more important. Tet was the turning point in the war; after Tet it was only a matter of time. But at least cool music came out of that era!