Walter Cronkite Dies at 92 - Page 2

Quineloe · 07-18-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phoenix

It was lost the moment you had idiots like Macnamara in charge with idiots like Cronkite on the side.

you sound like a communist.

Phoenix · 07-18-2009, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erronius

I've gone to a few right-leaning blogs, and they've hit upon the same sentiment as Phoenix. Apparently, being brave enough to call it as you see it, or to stand for what you believe, is a crime if there is a war going on. Do we really expect our media to lie to Americans, so we can (maybe) win a war? If there is blame, put it on those that want to send media to warzones and not censor their reports. That, or blame leaders who wage wars of that nature and are willing to throw away so many young men for a war that is not only unnecessary, but more than likely was never winnable (without either bringing China into the conflict, or turning Vietnam into a mass grave).

If you really believe America lost Vietnam because of Walter Cronkite, then you've really got more pressing issues at hand.

Yeah, because the Tet Offensive was a resounding success for the NVA

..

Haus · 07-18-2009, 12:37 PM

Cronkite didn't hurt the war effort. It's just that previously the war was something reported on in the newspapers, and the method for reporting on things was time delayed. You got news about what happened a day or maybe two days ago.

He represented the advent of a more immediate news coverage method in that you could get honest same day news. Because of this more of the reality of war, which is never pretty or something the average person wants to really see and think about, was right up there in front of people. This helped foster some of the anti war sentiment, but was not the cause of failure in the Vietnam war for the US.

Just as now the next step in media is taking place. You're seeing now we've gone from a day or two delay, to same day, to now same hour and live video feeds in many cases. Because of such people are even more intimately aware of the reality of a war. Which seems to engender more dislike for the prospect because it's seems "closer" and more personal now.

Just MHO and I could be, and probably am, an idiot,

For Cronkite, he was to news what Elvis was to Rock'n'Roll. He changed the game.

Danth · 07-18-2009, 12:38 PM

"Do we really expect our media to lie to Americans, so we can (maybe) win a war?"

Censorship, propaganda, and general suppression of the media was standard practice during WW2, actually. I don't think it was right then, either (that far exceeds the constitutional scope of the federal government), but it has precedent.

Danth

Haus · 07-18-2009, 12:53 PM

If we're going to open up the "government affecting/controlling/massaging the media to get the results they want" can of worms this thread will get messy... fast.

Snugglebear · 07-18-2009, 01:01 PM

Well,

moar funny pictures

Roddo · 07-18-2009, 03:47 PM

the media didn't lose the war in vietnam, anymore than its losing the war in Iraq or Afghanistan. Incompetent leadership in vietnam lost the war, and stepping into the french's shitstorm in the first place lost us the war. We didn't commit the resources needed to win the war, and didn't destroy what few tactical targets that existed. In world war 2 we bombed some german and japanese cities into the stone age again, in vietnam we didn't even bomb the north for most of the war, and by the time we did it was to late.
Cronkite was the voice most of us remember from major events in the last 40 years or so, wether you liked the message or not is irelevant.

GrobbeeTrull2.0 · 07-19-2009, 07:16 AM

ITT: Young, brainwashed Marine spouts off rhetoric about man who was far greater than he'll ever hope to be.

FulorianC · 07-19-2009, 11:14 AM

Less bullshit, more posting of the monumental events that Walter Cronkite covered live, as the voice of information to the American people.

07-18-2009, 01:01 PM	#21 (permalink)
Snugglebear Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,950 -21 Internets	Well, moar funny pictures moar funny pictures

07-19-2009, 07:16 AM	#23 (permalink)
GrobbeeTrull2.0 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 4,174	ITT: Young, brainwashed Marine spouts off rhetoric about man who was far greater than he'll ever hope to be. __________________ "When the last tree has died; and the last river been poisoned; and the last fish been caught, we will realise that we cannot eat money." - Cree proverb

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

07-18-2009, 12:37 PM	#18 (permalink)
Haus Fires of Heaven WoW Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 550 -9 Internets	Cronkite didn't hurt the war effort. It's just that previously the war was something reported on in the newspapers, and the method for reporting on things was time delayed. You got news about what happened a day or maybe two days ago. He represented the advent of a more immediate news coverage method in that you could get honest same day news. Because of this more of the reality of war, which is never pretty or something the average person wants to really see and think about, was right up there in front of people. This helped foster some of the anti war sentiment, but was not the cause of failure in the Vietnam war for the US. Just as now the next step in media is taking place. You're seeing now we've gone from a day or two delay, to same day, to now same hour and live video feeds in many cases. Because of such people are even more intimately aware of the reality of a war. Which seems to engender more dislike for the prospect because it's seems "closer" and more personal now. Just MHO and I could be, and probably am, an idiot, For Cronkite, he was to news what Elvis was to Rock'n'Roll. He changed the game.

07-18-2009, 12:38 PM	#19 (permalink)
Danth Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 257 -47 Internets	"Do we really expect our media to lie to Americans, so we can (maybe) win a war?" Censorship, propaganda, and general suppression of the media was standard practice during WW2, actually. I don't think it was right then, either (that far exceeds the constitutional scope of the federal government), but it has precedent. Danth

07-18-2009, 12:53 PM	#20 (permalink)
Haus Fires of Heaven WoW Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 550 -9 Internets	If we're going to open up the "government affecting/controlling/massaging the media to get the results they want" can of worms this thread will get messy... fast.

07-18-2009, 03:47 PM	#22 (permalink)
Roddo Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 86 -2 Internets	the media didn't lose the war in vietnam, anymore than its losing the war in Iraq or Afghanistan. Incompetent leadership in vietnam lost the war, and stepping into the french's shitstorm in the first place lost us the war. We didn't commit the resources needed to win the war, and didn't destroy what few tactical targets that existed. In world war 2 we bombed some german and japanese cities into the stone age again, in vietnam we didn't even bomb the north for most of the war, and by the time we did it was to late. Cronkite was the voice most of us remember from major events in the last 40 years or so, wether you liked the message or not is irelevant.

07-19-2009, 11:14 AM	#24 (permalink)
FulorianC Real Life Apologist Join Date: May 2003 Location: Denton, Texas Posts: 2,037	Less bullshit, more posting of the monumental events that Walter Cronkite covered live, as the voice of information to the American people.