Theme: Media VS The Soldier’s Perspective
General Introduction
Were you drafted into the Vietnam War? Or were you enlisted?
What was your military branch and what job were you affiliated with
Where were you located at this time? In the states or drafted out of the homefront?
Do you recall your first days as part of the military?
Interview
What do you remember about working in the military past the first days
What do you remember about boot camp / basic training
Do you know who Norman Morrison is. If so, what are your opinions about him?
What was your opinion about the war?
Did you ever want to be drafted out of the states closer to the action?
How did the media handle the idea of communism?
What was your opinions on the Vietnam War?
What do you remember about the media and how they were judging the war, compared to your point of view
Did you know anything secret about the war that the General population did not know about?
Did you know anyone that was killed during the war?
Were you treated any differently because you were white and in the military during the war?
What did you think about the enemy?
How did you feel about the Anti-War Protests?
Did you change your view about the war as Vietnam came to a close?
Did you trust the people around you, did you suspect any of them as communist
If you could describe what communism means to you, how would you put it?
Closing Questions
What 's your comparison between how the media broadcasts the war, and the difference and how a
It was not difficult for Americans to avoid the draft. "For most, the structure of the deferments and their exemptions worked to their benefit without requiring them to take any significant steps to manipulate the system."3 They simply practiced their legal rights by applying for deferments or receiving physical exemptions among a list of other possible appeals. There were those who were truly in no position go to Vietnam, but there were also those who went to severe measures to escape it.4
Write an essay that offers a critical examination of the concept of the ‘guilty media’ thesis in respect of any war of your choice
During the Vietnam War, Americans were greatly influenced by the extensive media coverage of the war. Before the 1960’s and the intensification of the war, public news coverage of military action was constrained heavily by the government and was directed by Government policy. The Vietnam War uniquely altered the perception of war in the eyes of American citizens by bringing the war into their homes. The Vietnam War was the first U.S uncensored war resulting in the release of graphic images and unaltered accounts of horrific events that helped to change public opinion of the war like nothing it had ever been. This depiction by the media led to a separation between the United States government and the press; much of what was reported flouted
Having served in a country where conscription is the law (and still is today), most South
During the Vietnam War 27 million American men registered for the “Draft”. A American man was required to register for the draft at the age of 18. Men between the ages of 18-26 years old fought in Vietnam unless they were in college or Medically disabled. 80% of the middle and lower classes fought in the war, and about ⅔ of the men were volunteers to fight.
During this time period, the use of television boomed, and for the first time was depended on and trusted significantly more than newspapers. “[Even though] the coverage of the war was significant, a relatively small portion of the coverage was actually combat footage (Anderson). Although producers captured thousands of hours worth of combat footage, they could not push out all of the coverage they captured, “The purpose being not to avoid showing the ugly side of war, but rather to avoid offending families of war victims" (Hallin). The media did not intentionally try to turn america against the war, to the contrary the media saw the war necessary to national security. However, as the war continued on in vietnam and watched daily in living rooms across the country, both the american soldiers and the public became disillusioned as they did not see an end to the war
Robert Elegant’s quote explains the significant role the media played in the Vietnam War. This essay will argue that the media’s effect was one dominant aspect of why the United States lost the war in Vietnam. Looking in detail at the heavily televised ‘Tet Offensive’, this essay will suggest that this series of battles was the beginning of the decisive part the media played in influencing public opinion. It is worth nothing that there are several factors involved in why the United States lost the Vietnam War, but this essay will focus on just one. Overall, it
By 1968, more than half of the American people relied on television as their principal source of news. What they saw informed, engrossed, and unsettled them. CBS Evening News anchor Harry Reasoner referred to it as “horrors and failures.” The Vietnam War dominated the network newscast as it never had before. Suddenly the war was everywhere. The impact on the American public would indeed be great. It set off a critical reaction to the war within the American media and gave greater credence to arguments against the war that a vocal protest movement had been voicing for some time. The media coverage of the Tet Offensive had a great influence on the eventual outcome of the fighting and its aftermath. Clarence Wyatt, author of Paper
Army and at home. African Americans were limited to specific jobs, separated military units, where they served under white officers, broadly in service work like truck drivers, mess attendants, and stevedores. Where they served under white officers, broadly in service work like truck drivers, mess attendants, and stevedores. Combat roles were denied to them, considering that the "colored" could not handle such work.“However, they were fighting for freedom on two fronts: against Nazism in Europe and against discrimination at home in the United States”(Michael E.
The draft that occurred during the Vietnam War had a big effect on all of the men involved. Some tried to run away from the fact that they were going to be drafted by running away to Canada, and others knew there was nothing they could do about it and hopped onto a plane to head to Vietnam. Even though many men were drafted, about two-thirds of troops volunteered (Bia, Vietnam War Draft). Those that volunteered did so to avoid the draft and so they could choose where they wanted to be placed when they fought (Dunnigan, Real Facts About Service in Vietnam). Some wanted to be put elsewhere, such as the Marines or the Navy. Overall, many young men we’re not thrilled about being drafted into the Vietnam War and some did all they could to get away
The investigation assesses the media coverage of the Tet Offensive and its impact on American policy concerning the Vietnam War from 1968 until 1969. The investigation evaluates the contrast between media broadcasts and government reports of the war, the effect of the media on the American public, and the effect of American public opinion on President Lyndon B. Johnson’s course of action. Two of the sources, Vietnam and America: A Documented History by Marvin E. Gettleman, Jane Franklin, Marilyn Young, and H. Bruce Franklin, and The “Uncensored War”: The Media and Vietnam by Daniel C. Hallin are examined.
Firstly, the “war on terror” had reduced the humanitarian concerns down, and the foreign policy. Furthermore, media coverage had become more deferential and constrained: therefore, reducing the chances of media influencing policy. The “war on terror” most importantly provided journalists with a guide in which they could understand global events and policy makers with the ability to justify a more aggressive foreign policy plan. At last, the “war on terror” had constructed an ideological bond between journalist and policy makers which created stronger media management. Techniques developed to display coverage of certain issues over others to frame stories that support official
On March 25th, 2017, I interviewed Charlotte “Putse” McCarroll who was born on June 3rd, 1935 in Cyrus, Minnesota. I asked her about her life and experiences during WWII. She doesn’t recall much about the actual War. She was a 4-year-old child during the start of the War and was in grade school when the War ended. She didn’t have any family members that she remembers actually being in the War. Putse told me that while the war was occurring she just stayed at home or went to school. She kind of remembers gathering around with her family and just praying for it to end. She said that life was very different because everyone was scared and no one knew what was going to happen. She thought to herself that anything could
It has been a while since the end of the war and thankfully my brother came back safe and sound to us just thinking about what could have happened to him there gives me the heebie-jeebies.
In times of War, the media plays a crucial role both in reporting, monitoring and giving updates. During the Vietnam War of 1955-1975, the American press played crucial roles of reporting until it ended up shifting its tone under the influence of occurrence of some events like the Tet Offensive, the My Lai Massacre, the bombing of Cambodia and leaking of Pentagon papers resulting into lack of trust in the press (Knightly 1975). From the beginning of the war up to present times there have been undying debates over the role of media in the war. The have been various criticisms over the American News Media’s actions and influences on the outcome of the war. The debate is embedded on the particular political assumptions perceived across the