American Valor Quarterly Issue 1 - Winter 2007 | Page 26

A large amount of the pre-election reporting in 1968 was concerned with domestic opinions and political conflicts that disregarded the war itself as well as the politics of South Vietnam. To say that there was no coverage of military action in Vietnam would be not only over exaggeration, but a disregard of the truth. The coverage of death tolls continue as it is announced in April of 1969 that “US DEATHS IN WAR PASS KOREA TOTAL…” Two days after this report the Vietnam War sees the front page again with the headline “NIXON HAS BEGUN PROGRAM TO END WAR IN VIETNAM…” time for ending the war insisting that the “other side will negotiate only if the U.S. backs his proposals.” Throughout 1971 the conflict in Vietnam was front-page news, but the news coverage still emphasized the political conflict and differences in opinion, with little time spent concerning the actual war. Headlines brought forward the dissension that was felt by the American people, “VETERANS DISCARD MEDALS IN WAR PROTEST AT CAPITOL,” “MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVED TRADITIONALLY AND BY PROTESTS OF WAR.” While it is debatable as to whether these headlines were a In the years following the Tet Offensive the belief that reflection of a popular sentiment shared by many Americans sending troops to or an encouragement Vietnam was a of anti-war protests, it mistake grew in is clear that the popularity. The Kent country was uneasy State shootings with the United illustrate the turmoil States’ position in the and frustration the war. Little American public was explanation was feeling at that time as provided as to why well as our general U.S. forces entered misunderstanding of Cambodia and Laos the conflict. The and the public was students were worn entering the protesting the military second decade of this expansion into misunderstood war. Cambodia when the protest grew out of Political cartoon illustrating the advantage the North Vietnamese held in the restriction of By the middle of U.S. forces from Laos and Cambodia. hand and National 1971 many of the Guardsmen killed front-page stories in four. The next morning the front page of the New York the New York Times concerned retrospective observations Times was the headline: “4 KENT STATE STUDENTS and the publication of the Pentagon Papers. While this KILLED BY TROOPS” accompanied by two pictures, one provided hard information to the public concerning the war, of a student lying dead as a girl screams and another of the many of the headlines have subjective tones that focus guardsmen in what could be misconstrued as a war zone. attention to past mistakes. “PENTEGON PAPERS: Two days after the Kent State tragedy, the New York Times VIETNAM STUDY LINKS ’65-’66 G.I. BUILD UP TO reported the closure of 80 colleges due to protest and FAULTY PLANNING,” and “DECEIT IN ’64 RACE accused the Nixon Administration of “failing youth.” The DENIED BY RUSK,” are two headlines publish