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Media Coverage In World War 2, news broadcasts were heavily censored. The horrors of war were rarely witnessed, instead the victories of the army was highlighted, using triumphant music. But by the 1960’s many homes had a Television for the first time , and by the late 1960’s this was colour TV. Censored cinema Newsreel was now out of date.
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Vietnam has been called the ‘first media war’ and the ‘first war fought on TV’. Censorship disappeared with TV and other media reporting the war as they saw it. This meant the coverage was not always favourable to the US forces. Every night, bulletins brought the horrors of war to people’s living rooms.
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Magazines were often heavily biased against the Viet Cong but included shocking images The image that came out of North Vietnam was of an undeveloped nation resisting the power of the USA. The nature of photo journalism made it difficult for the American government to control and censor as images could quickly be taken and published. The reality of war was seen by the ordinary public for the first time.
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Walter Cronkite was the ‘first anchorman’ of CBS News from 1962- 81. He was often polled as the ‘most trusted man in America’. He frequently gave reports that indicated American gains. In 1968 he travelled to Vietnam to cover the aftermath of the Tet offensive. Upon his return he compiled a report that turned coverage of the war on its head. On hearing the report, President Johnson is rumoured to have said ‘If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America.’ • Several weeks later Johnson announced he would not seek re-election as President. My Lai • Believed to be a VC stronghold & identified for a ‘search & destroy’ mission. • 16 March 1968, 9 Helicopters carrying 3 platoons of US soldiers landed – shortly after the Tet Offensive. • 700 people lived in the village but offered no resistance to the soldiers. • In the next two hours, up to 504 innocent people were killed, ages ranging from 1-82. • • • •
Lieutenant Calley, leader of one of the platoons, ordered that all in the village should be destroyed. In his trial later, he claimed soldiers were ‘just doing their duty’. However, 119 were killed below the age of 7, and some were mutilated with the signature ‘C Company’. There had been My Lai atrocities before in history.