Vietnam & After

"A Critique of the Oppositional Media Thesis"

   Daniel C. Hallin examines "objective Journalism" during the the war in Vietnam. Hallin believes that some journalists cover "easy" topics so they can report in an objective way.  The easiest way to do this is by asking "technical" questions that will not suggest the reporter is giving an opinion.  According to Hallin:

                        "It is much easier to discuss with an attitude of 'disinterested realism' the accuracy of the HES than, for example, the question of whether American intervention in Vietnam was ultimately good or bad for the Vietnamese peasant". 

The Hamlet Evaluation System (HES) was a computerized process used to "produced the official figures on the progress of pacification" (Hallin, 553-554).   Hallin references a report by CBS news in 1968 regarding the pacification program.  The correspondent for this report was Murray Fromson's.  Fromson wraps up the first and second part of his report:

"Fromson (concluding Part I.) So pacification does not stand still.  It moves forward, it moves back.  But what is the balance?  What is the trend. . . .?  An effort is being made to measure this and we'll look at the measurements in our next report."

"Fromson (concluding part II).  Another offensive by the Communists would undermine the program. . . .But the momentum seams to be in the other direction.  Since the November 1 bombing halt governement and U.S. troops have taken over nearly 800 hamlets. . . .  The goal is to occupy another 300 of these hamlets by the anniversary of the Tet offensive." (Hallin, 533)

The "concluding" parts do not seem to conclude anything. According to  Hallin the report focused on the "effectiveness of existing policy" and did not reexamine the "roots of the war".  It is easier to report information that is gathered by American sources as opposed to speaking to the Vietnamese.  Not only is that difficult, but the reporter would have to explain the political conflict in Vietnam that is largely different from the politics in America. The more important issues in the war were not being covered properly in part because of this "easy reporting", especially in television.  Lastly, I will quote Hallin's thoughts on television:

                        "More broadly, the narrow immediacy of television meant that noe of the larger questions posed by the war was raised in any substantial way in the news.  There was no discussion of the origins of revolution ("Guerrilla war, like hives, can break out any time, any place," one correspondent explained).  There was no second look at the doctrine of containment or it's application to a conflict like Vietnam: should such a conflict be treated as one "front" in a global struggle? there was not discussion of why this war eventually seemed to contradict so drastically the image of war and the image of themselves Americans held when they went into it: Why the violence that came to be symbolized by My Lai?  Why the collapse of morale?  Why the hostility of so many of those we thought we were saving, even the ones fighting with us?" (Hallin, 556)

War in Afghanistan

This is a website to a movie I just saw this on Good Morning America this morning about a platoon in Afghanistan's Korengal valley.  http://restrepothemovie.com   The movie follows this platoon for one full year.  It is on National Geographic Channel Monday November 29th at 9pm Eastern time.  I just wanted to let everyone know since our last essay is a comparison between the war in Vietnam and the war in Afghanistan and Iraq I thought this might come in useful.

 

My Lai: WGBH/PBS American Experience Documentary

One of the best resources about My Lai is the PBS American Experience documentary "My Lai". The web site provides links to other good sources of information about the massacre including trial transcripts,photographs and a timeline. You can watch the documentary online courtesy of WGBH.

GI Dissent and War Resistance in Vietnam

    Even though the Unites States lost the war in Vietnam, there is still a sense of success based on the numerous social movements that occurred during this time.  Richard R. Moser states, "From 1971 on, the veterans' movement became a leading force in the antiwar movement at home and in Vietnam." (The New Winter Soldiers, page 42)  Moser also mentions, earlier in his writing, the different "urban rebellions" that took place around this same time period.  The antiwar movement seems to be the foundation for many other groups to step up and fight for their own beliefs.  It was a time where many people exercised their right of freedom of speech.  During the antiwar movement, women, african americans, bisexuals and homosexuals, among others were fighting against the war and for equality. 

 

    The Weathermen Underground were a group of extremists who were against the war, but more so against the United States Government.  Their idea was to show the people of America what our troops were doing over in Vietnam and their slogan was "Bring the War Home."  The members of this group were considered at-home terrorists, because they were Americans terrorizing America. 

 

    

"The Civil Rights movement made great changes in society in the 1960's. The movement began peacefully, with Martin Luther King and Stokely Carmichael leading sit-ins and peaceful protests, joined by whites and Jews. Malcolm X preached about Black Nationalism. The Black Panthers were formed and advocated "self-defense" against oppression." (Music Changes the World)  The Black Panthers were also against the Vietnam War and worked with the Weather Underground in their Anti War Movement.

 

The Angry Blacks in the Army

 
Why were they angry? Black Americans in the Vietnam War were angry simply because they had to fight two wars; a race war in America for African Americans and an independence war for Vietnamese. 

    Black Americans called the Vietnam War the "White Man's Folly" otherwise stated the white mans foolish act.  Black Americans were not concern with communism in Vietnam; they were concern with the racist American society.  Jim Crow might have died in 1965 but its' laws of bigotry, repression and racism remained unburied.  Black Americans were fighting against racial segregation in America yet at the same time were drafted into the war and told to pick up riffles and defed their unjust country.  

    Wallace Terry II interviewed 392 black mean of all ranks and branches of service during the war.  He noted a large majority of black enlisted men agreed that black people should not fight in Vietnam because they had problems of discrimination to deal with at home.  63% believed that their fight was in the U.S.   

    Marine Corporal James E. Baler, Jr., stated, "They way whites treat the natives of this country I know they don't give a damn about their [Vietnamese] freedom."Most blacks and a significant minority of whites rejected the notion that the war was supposed to stop the spread of Communism.

    Terry stated that 50% of the black enlisted men surveyed agreed that their weapons had a strong appeal against the race war in America.  They were going to fight a race war in America that their grandparents always wanted to do but were forced not to.  Terry also stated that 60.2% of the black enlisted men and 49.7% of the black officers agreed that the war protests needed armed protection. 

    The black soldier was no longer silent over the discrimination he experience decades ago.  Blacks were more tolerant; their right to protest and speaking out meant more to them.  Many joined the Black Panthers or SDS (Students for a Democratic Society).  Corporal Toby Hoffler, a black Marine from Brooklyn said, "The white man had his G...damn Boston Tea Party, so why cant we have our riots, and the white students their marches?  Is there any difference?"

Why Americans Fight in Vietnam (1965) LBJ Speech at John Hopkins

I was reading LBJ speech regarding why Americans are fighting in Vietnam. Johnson makes it clear that we need to help South Vietnam from the communist in the North; how it is our duty as the United States to help South Vietnam. He states that we are there to keep a promise; the promise? to support South Vietnam just like every President has since 1954.

Johnson says "We fight because we must fight if we are to live in a world where every country can shape its own destiny, and only in such a world will our own freedom be finally secure." Johnson is telling the American public we need to be in South Vietnam fighting because we are not only fighting for their freedom but ours as well. 

The Link below will take you to a broadcasting of his speech.

 

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675031140_President-Lyndon-B-Johnson_John-Hopkins-University_South-Vietnam_peace-talks

A Final Mission: USS Kirk, 1975

 
USS Kirk loaded with refugees on the way to Subic Bay, May 1, 1975.

Great New Journalism about the End of the Vietnam War:

NPR has produced a great three-part series about the role of the U.S. Navy at the end of the war.   The series features audio, images and video recounting the role of the USS Kirk in evacuating "20,000 to 30,000 Vietnamese refugees" from South Vietnam to the Philippines in 1975.  

It is interesting to read this story about our ragged exit from Vietnam at a moment when our President is discussing the withdrawl of combat troops from Iraq.

Welcome to the Vietnam & After Blog

Welcome to the Vietnam & After course blog. For those of you who have never posted to a blog before here are some simple guidelines:

Posting: Use this blog to post about anything relating to the readings, lectures and class discussions. You can also post about current events that relate to the issues raised this semester.  Posts that compare and contrast the Vietnam War to our current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are especially welcome.

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pulling out is fast is not the answer

Mike Nizza, author of an article in the NY times, quoted Bush:

“One unmistakable legacy of Vietnam is that the price of America’s withdrawal was paid by millions of innocent citizens whose agonies would add to our vocabulary new terms like “boat people,” “re-education camps,” and “killing fields””.

 This shows the point of view of Bush and his supporters. The reality of the current situation is a mirrored image of Vietnam: withdrawing too fast isn’t the best solution at this point. This also can be another tool that the presidential administration can use to carry out their foreign policy goals.

Thanks for Posting!

Thanks for posting.  The semester is over and done.  Thank you for all of your hard work.  Have a pleasant holiday.