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Question: Opinion on war photography!?
Hello!.
I am curious about how war photography impacted and continues to impact the way we view war!. Below is a link of a famous photo taken during the Vietnam war!. I would greatly appreciate if you could answer this question for me (first read question then view image : If you were an patriotic American citizen during the Vietnam war, and were brain washed by the government into believing that the war was crucial for the good of country, how would your views change after seeing this image!? Keep in mind that many Americans( majority) had not traveled the world and therefore did not know how 'the others' looked, so they were apathetic toward them!. also, when you see pics of war photography, how does that affect your opinions on war!? I am very curious to see what kinds of answers you will come up with!. please be introspective on your thoughts!.


http://www!.greatdreams!.com/war/Napalm-vi!.!.!.

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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
You did not state your age, but it sounds as though you did not live through the whole Viet Nam era!. At 55 years of age, I did go through it, and it was only by the luck of the "draft lottery number" drawing that I did not have to go!. My half brother did join the Marines in 1967, when it was really getting bad over there!. He was wounded two different times!. Of course, we got letters from him stating how it really was there, so I had first hand knowledge of what a mess it was!. He often said that even many of the people we were there to supposedly help would just as soon cut your throat as not!.

But actually, the entire US was fast realizing the war was a useless waste of lives!. There might have been some "brainwashing" in the early 60's as to the necessity of the war, but that soon fell by the waysite as the decade progressed!. Protests were rampant in all walks of life!. People were sick of seeing body bags come back here by the thousands!.!.!. and for what!? We still lost that war!.!.!. no matter how anyone may try to sugar coat it!.

My Mother actually sponsered a refuge Vietnamese family here in the early 70's!. I still see one of the Viet family members everyday as my wife now works with her!. Life can really take strange twists at times!.

So sure, photography such as posted certainly went a long way to shaping the public's view of how the war really was as opposed to the political rhetoric of Johnson and Nixon during the day!. It was just a strange time in our history!. I am actually glad I experienced those times, but I sure hope nothing like it happens again!.

Many people are comparing Iraq to Viet Nam, but there is one huge difference!. Everyone in Iraq is a volunteer!. During Viet Nam you had draftees that had no business being there!. Drug use was rampant!. My brother become "hooked" and actually disappeared for about three years after he left the Marines!.

also, the attack of 9/11 tends to make people feel there is "some" purpose to Iraq and trying to make a stand against the whole terriorist regime!. We were never attacked by any Vietnamese, we just sort of butted in there!. The old US trying to be a martyr for the whole world thing at work!. Good in principle, but it does not always work!. The horror of the war was brought to the public by the brave photographers during that time, and yes, I certainly believe it helped shape the public opinion and knowledge of what was really happening!.

steveWww@QuestionHome@Com

War photos tend to produce to little lasting effect on those not directly involved in combat (except among the really intelligent), since most people have little understanding of what they represent outside of the horror aspects!.

Widely distributed photos of war's brutality go back to Matthew Brady's work during American Civil War!. Unfortunately, many of his photos were destroyed in the immediate post War era because they fell out of social/historic favor - few that fought wanted to be reminded of the nastiness they portrayed, and those that weren't there had little to no understanding as to the widespread killing they really represented!.

The atrocities of WWI and WWII were VERY well documented by photography, yet many were censored or had publication long delayed (by all sides) lest the civilian population learn the real horrors of what they were supposed to consider a "just cause!." Even with the piles of photographic evidence and eyewitness accounts (by both German and Allied photographers and others), there are plenty of people that weren't alive at the time that claim the Holocaust never happened!.

War photographs are a very useful adjunct to history - but history is rarely taught well (and minimally taught at best in public schools), especially the history of war!. And that's a real shame!.

"So it goes!."Www@QuestionHome@Com