Wailuku:

My point was that public opinion affected military decisions on both sides.

There was a doccumentary on the history channel about the Air-war in Vietmnam and the American Pilots held in the Hanoi Hilton that demonstrated one example fairly well. In the Doccumentary they interviewed one of these pilots who actualy met Ho Chi Min while being held there (I am pretty sure it was John McCain). Ho Chi Min told the pilot that "the war would be won not in the jungles of Vietnam, but on the streets of Washington and New York". The North Vietnamese tailored their propaganda campaign to insight the population at home. They brought in American celebrities to Hanoi, and took them on guided tours of the bombed areas. They reported that the targets we were bombing were schools etc... As the war went on the North Vietnamese propaganda machine pumped out more and more redical claims. As their claims increased the violence in the streets increased. The actions of the protestors and public opinion in general undoubtedly encouraged the North Vietnamese and helped to prolong the war. That inturn cost thousands of American Soldiers thier lives.

Don't get me wrong I am not saying we should follow our leaders blindly. We just need to be careful how the message is sent.


I don't have much time today. If I get a few spare moments I will find some articles and possibly the name of that doccumentary for you.