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What do you think of the piece on Walter Cronkite

What do you think?

  • Spot on.

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  • Who is Walter Cronkite?

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He had explicitly mentioned that he was about to inject personal commentary into his report. It may have breached journalistic ethics, but it was something he felt that he had to say, so I don't blame him for that. Anyone in his position would be hard-pressed to continue in his job and not be upset.

Also the American Thinker article takes a completely twisted (imho) view on Vietnam. Vietnam was a strategic blunder the day America decided to get involved. The Tet Offensive was a tactical victory for us, but eventually played a huge part in our strategic loss.

A compelling case can be made that we should never have sent troops to Vietnam in the first place.
Agreed.

But we did. And then, after nearly 60,000 U.S. deaths and countless Vietnamese casualties, we bugged out. There’s no way to put an honorable face on that unavoidable truth.
I would say that 60,000 troops died for a cause that was lost, and perhaps not even worthy of any American's sacrifice, from the beginning. There is nothing honorable about that. We had to pull out with what little dignity we had left. What was the alternative? Stay there? then what? The NVA and VC demonstrated that they weren't going to be defeated until their will was broken. Those are advantages that accrue to the defender in war.

I agree that journalism today is complete BS, and that journalistic standards and ethics have decline. But to pin this on Cronkite, I believe, is wrong. Cronkite was an exemplary journalist, he set the gold standard for being a good reporter.
 
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Walter Cronkite was completely right about it all. I support what he said.

P.S. The only thing I agree with in your signature is Capital Punishment. I think it may be the only thing we'll ever agree on.

I agree with him on a few things. I don't however think being pro-military and pro-war are the same thing. Also what's so great about Wal-Mart?
 
Cronkite was very wrong in that statement.

Who won and who lost in the great Tet offensive against the cities? I’m not sure. The Vietcong did not win by a knockout, but neither did we. The referees of history may make it a draw.

Despite being a tactical win for the U.S, it was a strategic victory for the north. In a war based on politics rather than maneuvers, Tet was a resounding success

It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate.

Also wrong. The puppets ruling the south never had any chance of standing of their own, and would inevitably fall without being propped up. The North was determined to win regardless of how long it took or what price it cost.

But it is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could.

The U,S. never defended democracy in Vietnam. In fact we prevented elections in '54 because we knew Ho would win and installed a puppet dictator instead.

All in all, Cronkite delivered a fairly inaccurate report. That said, I have the benefit of hindsight, so it would be unfair to judge him too harshly. He certainly had a better grasp of what was going on than most of people of his day, supporters and anti-war folks alike. Cronkite was still an excellent journalist despite his flaws , and its sad that his high standard has been so shamefully let down by the modern press.
 
Walter Cronkite was completely right about it all. I support what he said.

P.S. The only thing I agree with in your signature is Capital Punishment. I think it may be the only thing we'll ever agree on.

Doesn't really surparise me at all. Since we are on opposite ends of the specturm, but at least you have the right view on Captial Punishment.
 
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