Guazapa: Yesterdays Enemies A Documentary by Don North
In 1983, war correspondent Don North went behind the guerilla lines in El Salvador to spend two
months in Guazapa, one of the bloodiest battlegrounds of the civil war. Out of that experience
came the revealing documentary Guazapa: The Face of War in El Salvador, which showed the
world the real civilian costs of that conflict.
Twenty six years later, North returned to Guazapa to find survivors of that conflict and how their
lives have been since then. Using a mixture of old and new footage, Yesterday’s Enemies
documents El Salvador’s post-war problems of soaring crime, massive migration and a fragile
economy. The film highlights Salvadoran hopes for change and shows how the candidate of the
Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) - the post-war political party of the guerillas
- won the election for president in March 2009.
Guazapa: Yesterday’s Enemies is a 65-minute examination of the courage, resilience and
humanity of the Salvadoran people in the aftermath of war. It is available for broadcast in
English and Spanish, and for private purchase on DVD.
“Yesterday’s Enemies” touches the human spirit in its recollection of the terrible times of the
past, the courage of those who fought against fear and fascism and it’s practical hope for a
better future.”
$24.95 includes shipping. Order by sending check or money order to:
Don North
11830 Larry Road,
Fairfax. VA. 22030
or contact and reserve a DVD at Dnorth6743@aol.com
Guazapa: The Face of War in El Salvador
on DVD is also available at $25.
Don North has a long history of venturing into conflict zones. He was a
cameraman and correspondent for ABC and NBC News during Vietnam. In 1973
he was based in Cairo and covered the advance of Israeli forces in the
Golan and Suez. He won a Gold Medal at the New York Film Festival in
1976 for a film he directed titled "Time of the Jackals: The Carlos
Connection." Mr. North covered the Afghan war against Soviet occupation
and during the Gulf War was a media advisor to Prince Khalid Bin Sultan,
commander of the joint forces during Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait. In
1993, he covered the Bosnian conflict for the Arab news magazine Al
Wasat. He trained TV journalists for UNESCO in Bosnia and Romania, and
for the U.S. Agency for International Development in Egypt. Mr. North
directed aerial footage in Yemen for the 2000 movie "Rules of
Engagement," and during the Iraq War was embedded with the 101st
Airborne. He went on to become an advisor and staff trainer for the
U.S.-funded Iraq Media Network. Most recently, Mr. North has worked on
documentaries about Iraq, Vietnam., El Salvador and Burma, and has
worked as a trainer for Voice of America in Vietnam, Indonesia,
Montenegro and Serbia. Mr. North is vice-president of Military Reporters
& Editors.
In August 2009 the National Press Club presented Don's new documentary
on the history of war in El Salvador "Guazapa: Yesterday's Enemies"
Don has recently completed his book "Morton of the Star: Inappropriate
Conduct. Canada's luckless war correspondent. It documents Paul
Morton's parachute jump behind German lines to join the Italian
Partisans and British secret S.O.E. and why he was the only allied
journalist dis-acredited in WW 2.
