What role did the American media play in the Vietnam War?

The American media played an important role in the Vietnam War. The government told the public things were going well in the war and that it would soon end. The reports and pictures from the media suggested this wasn’t true, though. This war was the first war that had continuous television coverage the American public could see on a daily basis. The pictures the public saw didn’t match what the government claimed. Interviews with soldiers...

The American media played an important role in the Vietnam War. The government told the public things were going well in the war and that it would soon end. The reports and pictures from the media suggested this wasn’t true, though. This war was the first war that had continuous television coverage the American public could see on a daily basis. The pictures the public saw didn’t match what the government claimed. Interviews with soldiers also suggested things were going very differently than what the government told the public. Every week, month, and year, national news programs reported how many American soldiers were killed or wounded during that time period. The coverage of the My Lai Massacre also showed how brutal and dehumanizing this war was.

The media also covered the protests over US involvement in Vietnam. As these protests received more coverage, the protest movement gained more followers. People began to realize they weren’t alone with their thoughts and concerns about the war and how it was going. The media also covered the violence that occurred at Kent State, which further eroded support for the government.