How did the My Lai Massacre and the Tet Offensive change the viewpoint in American involvement in the Vietnam War?
The Vietnam War had actually begun way before 1954 with tensions between colonial powers of France and Vietnam. On 27 April 1954, the Geneva Conference granted South Vietnam independence from France. This conference also was set out to bring not only independence to but also unification of both North and South Vietnam. However, the free election was said not to work in North Vietnam by South Vietnamese leader Diem and the United States. The rejection of the Geneva Accords never were signed which then marked the beginnings of the involvement of the United States in Vietnam. The Vietnam War is seen to be one of the “longest” and most costly conflicts. [1] The war began in the year 1954, continuing the fight against communism and ended with the communist forces seizing full control of Saigon, which ended the Vietnam War. However, during the Vietnam War, many Americans had changed their views on the war. At the beginning of the war, soldiers were excited and patriotic about going off to war. However as time passed, the soldiers experienced such horrible incidents and were finally fully exposed to the treacherous war. Two of the many events that changed the viewpoint in American involvement in the Vietnam War were the Tet Offensive and the My Lai Massacre. A study made by he Peter Braestrup, “entitled Big Story: How the American Press and Television Reported and Interpreted the Crisis of Tet 1968 in Vietnam and Washington, has drawn the conclusion that the American military actually won the Tet offensive; “ however, according to the media, the American military had been portrayed as the defeated ones.[2]
Thesis: In other words, the events that occurred at My Lai and the Tet Offensive caused a negative impact to the idea of American involvement with the help of media and false government information.
[1] “Vietnam War,” The History Channel website, http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war (accessed Dec 16, 2013).
[2] Katz, Mark N. 1980. The Origins of the Vietnam War 1945-1948. The Review of Politics. 42, no. 2: 131-151.
Thesis: In other words, the events that occurred at My Lai and the Tet Offensive caused a negative impact to the idea of American involvement with the help of media and false government information.
[1] “Vietnam War,” The History Channel website, http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war (accessed Dec 16, 2013).
[2] Katz, Mark N. 1980. The Origins of the Vietnam War 1945-1948. The Review of Politics. 42, no. 2: 131-151.