Walt Rostow argued communism was incompatible with economic development and was influential in persuading Presidents Kennedy and Johnson to get more involved in Vietnam.
After footage from America’s first ‘living room war’ shocked the public, the government would clamp down on media coverage of future military conflicts.
Richard Lachmann, University at Albany, State University of New York
Is there honor in a losing battle? The US military faced this question in Vietnam. Its response would eventually change how the media covered war and how Americans perceive it.
Was Vietnam ‘a quagmire’ or a ‘stalemate machine’? Understanding this 50-year-old debate can shed light on why the US is currently locked into a ‘forever war.’
Musicians were able to connect with confused, scared and angry Americans – including those who supported the war – in a way actors, broadcasters and writers could not.