Tubegazing: 'Inside the Vietnam War'

Inside the Vietnam War (National Geographic Channel, Feb. 18, 8 p.m.): Here's an ambitious look at the dawn of the modern living-room war, where, for the first time, America saw large-scale violence at a brutally intimate proximity. This high-definition special probes the memories of veterans to bring back the moments that burrowed deep into the hearts and minds of Americans: the My Lai Massacre and the secret bombings in Cambodia. It's not comfortable viewing, but that's the idea. As the maxim goes, nations that forget the lessons of past wars are doomed to repeat their mistakes. Grade: A– – Gloria Goodale