On Saturday, January 29 beginning at 2pm the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and Open University of the Left will be screening and discussing WINTER SOLDIER, a feature-length documentary on the historic 1971 Winter Soldier Investigation war crimes tribunal in Detroit, Michigan. WINTER SOLDIER captures the terrifying testimonies of more than 200 ex-GIs concerning American atrocities in Vietnam.

The film, made about and with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW), was a prize winner at Cannes and Berlin Film Festivals, screened at the Whitney Museum of Art, New York City and was televised once by WNET in New York. In a review done at the time of its release in 1972, film critic Amos Vogel said: "This is a film that must be shown in prime time evening on national television, and never will be."

Winter Soldier was largely ignored during the Vietnam war by American press and distributors. Nearly twenty years later, when the film screened at the 1990 Berlin Film Festival as part of the 20th Jubilee Celebration of Films shown at previous festivals, Ulrich Gregor wrote in the program notes "the film is as powerful as ever today."

The Winter Soldier Investigation drew renewed attention during the 2004 Presidential campaign when groups like "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" accused Senator Kerry of falsely accusing U.S. troops of war crimes. Kerry had summarized the results of the Winter Soldier Investigation in his testimony before Congress.

Members of VVAW will introduce the film and take questions afterwards. The relevance of the film for the current Iraq war will be discussed by Vietnam veterans, including BARRY ROMO, who, at the Winter Soldier Investigation, served as the moderator of the panel that dealt with the U.S. Division that was involved in the My Lai massacre. He also represented Chicanos on the Racism Panel.

CO-SPONSORED BY: Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Open University of the Left, Democratic Socialists of America Chicago chapter and the Peregrine Forum

WHEN: JANUARY 29, SATURDAY, 2:00 PM

WHERE: ACME ART WORKS, 1741 N. WESTERN AVE. (at St. Paul Street), Chicago, two blocks south of the Western stop on the CTA Blue Line.

HOW MUCH: $5 donation if you have it; no one turned away. Refreshments available at the Blackwater Cafe.

FOR MORE INFO: E-mail the OUL at OULChicago (at) yahoo.com or call 773-384-5797.

COMING UP AT OUL

FEB. 3 THU 7 PM: "DEMOCRACY" AND ITS DISCONTENTS: A LOOK AT HENNRY ADAMS' POLITICAL NOVEL. Writer/critic Hugh Iglarsh leads a session on Henry Adams’ 1879 novel, "Democracy," an examination of the inner workings of the political process in Gilded Age America. After a century and a quarter, this tragicomic novel of ideas retains its bite.


ABOUT THE OUL: The Open University of the Left (OUL) is an independent forum founded in 1987 to organize presentations and discussion groups about politics, literature, philosophy, history and social theory. Events are open to all regardless of political orientation. The OUL's Literature in Three Dimensions series is seeking presenters; if you would like to lead a discussion, call Hugh Iglarsh at 773-677-5474 or e-mail him at hiiglarsh (at) hotmail.com

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"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." - Thomas Paine

The term "winter soldier" refers to Thomas Paine's criticism of American revolutionary soldiers of 1776. At end of the summer, the "sunshine patriot" deserted the fight whereas the "winter soldier" withstood the harsh conditions of winter. These Vietnam veterans who testified were the "new winter soldiers" who were still fighting, but for justice and peace through activism.

Vietnam Veterans Against the War website:
www.vvaw.org/