Myth: Media coverage of the war was balanced and accurate and contributed to development of appropriate US policies
Fact: Media bias played a major role in the outcome of the war.
- Two of the most reported photos of the war both told false stories.
- The famous photo of a young Vietnamese girl burned by napalm was falsely reported as caused by US aircraft. It was solely a South Vietnamese operation.
- The photo of "napalm girl" was cropped to hide the fact that there were soliders walking beside her.
- The famous photo of a Vietnamese police officer summarily executing a Viet Cong prisoner left crucial details out of the story.
- The Tet offensive was reported as a defeat for American forces. The opposite was true. The offensive decimated the Viet Cong.
- Walter Cronkite famously pronounced the Vietnam War "a quaqmire" after Tet.
- The media has consistently reported that the US lost the Vietnam War. The US left Vietnam in 1973. The war was lost in 1975, after North Vietnam, once again, violated the terms of the peace treaty.
Confirming Evidence
How to Lose A War: The Press and Viet Nam
Media's role during the Vietnam-Era
Have You Ever Seen the Uncropped Version of the "Napalm Girl?"
Vietnam napalm strike: the myth of Kim Phuc
The Story Behind the Man Who was Killed in the Famous "Saigon Execution" Photo
Commanded "Assassination & Revenge Platoon" Slashing Throats Of Cops Wives/Kids
This Week in Photography History: Eddie Adams' Pulitzer Winning Image Was Captured
Impact Of Media On Public Opinion During The Vietnam War
How the national media lied about the Tet Offensive
Television Coverage of the Vietnam War and the Vietnam Veteran