Walter Cronkite (1916-2009)
Item
Title
Walter Cronkite (1916-2009)
Subject
notable American journalist, broadcaster, Vietnam war, journalism
Description
Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. was a prominent American journalist and broadcaster born in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1916. His newcasts with the CBS News played a significant role in shaping the American public opinion on the Vietnam War. Cronkite began his career as a war correpondent for World War II, then became the anchorman for “The CBS Evening News” amidst the peak of the Cold War. Walter Cronkite was a patriot, and like many other journalists of his time, he believed in the government and its mission in fighting against the spread of communism. However, in public broadcast, Cronkite often remained neutral about the war which earned him the reputation of being objective and “the most trusted man in America.”
Following his visit to Vietnam in 1968, especially to Hue, the epicenter of the most intense battles, Cronkite’s opinion on the war began to change. Here, he witnessed the brutality and sufferings faced by both the US troops and Vietnamese civilians. Upon his return to the US, the CBS News aired “Report from Vietnam: Who, What, When, Where, Why?,” an one-hour special broadcast where Cronkite delivered his famous verdict that exposed the brutal truth of the war, sending shockwaves throughout the nation.
Following his visit to Vietnam in 1968, especially to Hue, the epicenter of the most intense battles, Cronkite’s opinion on the war began to change. Here, he witnessed the brutality and sufferings faced by both the US troops and Vietnamese civilians. Upon his return to the US, the CBS News aired “Report from Vietnam: Who, What, When, Where, Why?,” an one-hour special broadcast where Cronkite delivered his famous verdict that exposed the brutal truth of the war, sending shockwaves throughout the nation.
Creator
Joel Achenbach
Date
May 25, 2018
Type
News article
Source
"Did the news media, led by Walter Cronkite, lose the war in Vietnam?"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/did-the-news-media-led-by-walter-cronkite-lose-the-war-in-vietnam/2018/05/25/a5b3e098-495e-11e8-827e-190efaf1f1ee_story.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/did-the-news-media-led-by-walter-cronkite-lose-the-war-in-vietnam/2018/05/25/a5b3e098-495e-11e8-827e-190efaf1f1ee_story.html
Publisher
The Washington Post
Rights
Public Domain
Format
Online
Contributor
Connie Tran
