Impact of Media During the Vietnam War

496 Words2 Pages
Terry Osco The impact of the media during the Vietnam War The Vietnam War was fought in South Vietnam, and lasted from 1955 to 1975. The war was between South and North Vietnam. The United States supported South Vietnam because they were anti-communist. The U.S. government viewed involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. Televisions became very popular and more people got the news through televisions than any other source. It was the first war ever to be broadcasted. The media helped stop the war. Americans watched the war on their televisions. It made them oppose the war. They were horrified by the things they saw on TV. The media played an important role in the anti-war movements. The media was one of the main reasons why the U.S government withdraw their troops, “television turned the American public against the war”. This evidence shows that the way people saw the war was changing. The people didn’t want to see their husbands, kids, friends, or their neighbors fighting in such a horrifying war. The media coverage changed the way people saw the war because it made them realize that there were thousands of Americans dying overseas in a war that they didn’t need to be involved in. The Vietnam changed people’s view about the war, “The Vietnam War was the most extensively covered war in history. This coverage was thought to have had a powerful influence on public opinion and therefore on political decision making”. This evidence also explains how the media influenced many Americans by making them realize that the war was bad and it had to end. The last two evidences fit together with each other because they both show how the media has changed the way people saw the war and it also shows the importance of the media during the Vietnam War. “

More about Impact of Media During the Vietnam War

Open Document