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The Media and The Vietnam War, Part I - Page 2

© John Lovett

As Wilmott said during the presentation, the press was given unequalled access to the war in Vietnam. However, the body press elected not to take the military up on its opportunities. On many occasions, the press assembled at the Caravel Hotel in Saigon were invited "up country," but just on as many occasions these body of press decided the hotel bar was a lot safer. There are notable exceptions to this; Dickie Chappelle and Sean Flynn being two.

But, I still wondered why was it that both the American media and motion picture production had gotten into the anti - war posture they had? Was it the old "liberal" media argument one still hears? I doubt it. The media as well as the motion picture industry was run, and is still run, by very conservative individuals. Was it the visual media presented "true" images to the American people every night on the TV? Correspondingly, the people had become sickened and intolerant of watching not only American; but Vietnamese dead, sprawled across the screen. The media was therefore only reflecting the desires of the American people. Possibly.

Several things were true about South Vietnam. Initially, there was no national identity. Personal identity came from the family and not the state. Persons who worked for the state used their positions to further their own fortunes and not for the benefit of the state. For the most part, military units owned their allegiance to a district chieftain or commanding officer and not to the state. They had no goal in fighting the war. Their government was unstable. The southern soldier would "not fight."

Correctly or incorrectly, several things were perceived in the U. S. about North Vietnam. There was a national identity. Personal identity was supplanted to the national identity. The state worked to the benefit of those within the state. The military fought for a goal. The government was stable. A North Vietnamese Army soldier fought well and bravely.

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