Implications of the Absence of Field Press Censorship in Vietnam

摘要

The media did not lose the war in Vietnam. A flawed national policy that sent US soldiers into combat without adequate public support did. Nonetheless, the performance of the press--which operated throughout the conflict without field press censorship--left much to be desired. The three questions this student essay pursues is why wasn't field press censorship imposed in Vietnam. What was the effect of that decision. Where do we go from here. The discussion includes a look at World War II war reporting, how the Battle of Tet was misreported in the press, and the role of the press in a free society. The conclusion reached is that censorship was not imposed, initially because it was not considered necessary and then because it was not considered politically feasible. The effect of the decision was that the press misreported some aspects of the war, particularly in the later years. If the US government is to fight a successful war in the future, it first needs popular support, then more control of the media than it had in Vietnam. Better accreditation of reporters and some press censorship are the keys to more accurate reporting of future US conflicts.