War and the Media

What conceivable reason is there for journalists to be exposed to the trials and tribulations of an active war?  The only one that comes to mind is to bungle operations of active forces and to become casualties themselves. This paper will examine the role of the journalist in wartime and why they should not be there.  They have been everywhere, covering all manner of conflict with little regard for the life of others or their own. 

There were journalists on the slippery, bloodstained rocks of the Normandy invasion reporting back to the U.S. the screams and pictures of war taking place on the front line.  There were journalists crouched in the rice paddies of Vietnam recording the bullets whizzing by their heads and the whoomping sound made by heavy artillery landing nearby. 

There were journalists in the desert on a ride along with MASH unit in a helicopter, recovering soldiers during a firefight.  There are journalists who have witnessed the untold carnage of missing limbs, missing friends, and grown men crying for their mother.  These same journalists have crawled and clawed through cold, wet mud uphill in a driving rain.  This rain would be accompanied by the murderous thunder of artillery.

            Journalists have witnessed firsthand, mass carnage and chaos mixed together in a high-ball glass over ice.  They have also heard the high whine of bullets screaming by and the thud of the bullets deposit in tree, land, or man.  Journalists have risked life and limb for many years to accurately reflect what occurs inside a combat zone.

Some to a good end, but some end up as misguided mouthpieces for the government they work for when covering such events.  This is the case because much of the information disseminated comes from either one side or the other.  The thought of objective reporting is a noble one, but simply not feasible. 

Does a soldier on the ground really know what the big picture is as far as the mission?  The answer is no.  This is also the answer for the reporter on the ground, who is probably not versed in military tactics or procedures.  What is the real cost of this information?

There were of course slow times for journalists on the front lines in wars past.  During these times the greatest threat to the journalist would be the local creatures that fed on their blood.  To be sure, these bugs proved to be a very formidable adversary in any situation.  To punctuate the calm of the night there were also nights of high anxiety and tension.