RESPONSE OF THE PUBLIC
Cronkite would certainly not be the last public figure to criticize the U.S’s management of the war. The American public felt helpless as they people of importance blatantly bash the government. Domestic dissent in the U.S. population skyrocketed after the Tet Offensive. The damaging media coverage made it even harder to hold public opinion behind the war effort. One man remembered that Americans were “scared to death of the images” that seemed to come in a constant bombardment from overseas. Some even held the belief that the press reports were losing the war, because “all they do is report the bad news.” There was no doubt that Americans were frightened of what they saw in the news, as the media interpreted the Tet …show more content…
Inconsistencies in the president’s speeches were often denounced as ‘credibility gaps’ by the media. People who were neither for nor against the war were shocked and agitated by the government’s seeming lack of competence in their war stratagem and public show of weakness. Even on Capitol Hill, many senators communicated that they, too, were under the impression that this would be an easy war to win. The most jarring aspect of the Tet Offensive for many was how unprepared U.S. forces were made out to be. Many thought that the U.S. was on top of things militarily and were beyond being subject to sneak attacks of that nature. This newly inspired lack of trust in the government was the point of no return for the end of war support …show more content…
Commonly, wars are measured by the number of lives lost, expense, or time invested. These are quantitative statistics that are easy to observe and interpret. The true price of war, rather, is what type of lasting impression it leaves behind. Vietnam’s lasting impression was much more significant than its numerical expense. Even though the Tet Offensive was messy and startling to the U.S. forces, there is evidence that the U.S. military could have succeeded in winning. The U.S and SVA militaries really proved their capability during Tet in the way they quickly organized themselves and launched a counterattack. What could have been an absolutely devastating blow on the part of the NVA and Viet Cong forces ended up as a military victory for the Southern Vietnamese
Cronkite would certainly not be the last public figure to criticize the U.S’s management of the war. The American public felt helpless as they people of importance blatantly bash the government. Domestic dissent in the U.S. population skyrocketed after the Tet Offensive. The damaging media coverage made it even harder to hold public opinion behind the war effort. One man remembered that Americans were “scared to death of the images” that seemed to come in a constant bombardment from overseas. Some even held the belief that the press reports were losing the war, because “all they do is report the bad news.” There was no doubt that Americans were frightened of what they saw in the news, as the media interpreted the Tet …show more content…
Inconsistencies in the president’s speeches were often denounced as ‘credibility gaps’ by the media. People who were neither for nor against the war were shocked and agitated by the government’s seeming lack of competence in their war stratagem and public show of weakness. Even on Capitol Hill, many senators communicated that they, too, were under the impression that this would be an easy war to win. The most jarring aspect of the Tet Offensive for many was how unprepared U.S. forces were made out to be. Many thought that the U.S. was on top of things militarily and were beyond being subject to sneak attacks of that nature. This newly inspired lack of trust in the government was the point of no return for the end of war support …show more content…
Commonly, wars are measured by the number of lives lost, expense, or time invested. These are quantitative statistics that are easy to observe and interpret. The true price of war, rather, is what type of lasting impression it leaves behind. Vietnam’s lasting impression was much more significant than its numerical expense. Even though the Tet Offensive was messy and startling to the U.S. forces, there is evidence that the U.S. military could have succeeded in winning. The U.S and SVA militaries really proved their capability during Tet in the way they quickly organized themselves and launched a counterattack. What could have been an absolutely devastating blow on the part of the NVA and Viet Cong forces ended up as a military victory for the Southern Vietnamese