Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

How Journalism Influenced American Public Opinion During The Vietnam War: A Case Study Of The Battle Of Ap Bac, The Gulf Of Tonkin Incident, The Tet Offensive, And The My Lai Massacre, Kyle Hadyniak

Honors College

The Vietnam War was a hallmark in journalism history. Not only was newspaper reporting placed in a prominent role, both on the front lines and at home, but for the first time television was also utilized to bring the horrors of war into the living room. Vietnam may have been in Southeast Asia, but half the fighting occurred in the United States because journalists in Vietnam brought a different, pragmatic view to the American public than what the government was providing. The latter’s misleading optimism and, in some cases, outright deception soon ignited an anti-war movement previously unseen on American …