Media during Vietnam war?

Question

How is the American reaction to the Vietnam war at home depicted on television, in the movies, and within the lyrics of the music?

Answer 1

I have not seen any movies that really showed how the average American felt during the Second Indochina (Vietnam) War.

On television, since the war finished,  there has been some shows that have mentioned the feelings of people about the war.

In the music that emerged after the war there was very little about how the Americans felt, or the rest of the world.

DURING THE WAR --

There were no movies that showed the feelings of the ordinary people.

On television there was no open criticism of the war in movies except probably obliquely through "MASH".

With the television news there was a major change in attitude towards the war, from being pro-war to being against the war. This was evident around 1968 following the TET offensive. A prime example was the CBS anchorman, Walter Cronkite. He was very pro-war until 1968 then he changed his mind and was against the US involvement.  Nixon is reported to have said, "If we have lost Cronkite, we have lost middle America". With the journalists working and based in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand the change in attitude started earlier, but was most pronounced from 1965.

With the music -- There were many songs written during the Vietnam War period that were anti-war. Songs by "Joan Baez", "Pete Seeger", "Peter, Paul and Mary", "Bob Dylan" and many others, even the Beatles.

Answer 2

Listen to Jim Morrison and the Doors.  That will contain the answer to your question in every song you hear.  

Ah the 60's hated the war, loved the music.

Answer 3

A good place to start is "Apocalypse Now".  Although in the story it took place in Vietnam, it shows the insanity of the war as viewed by some in Hollywood.  Another popular movie is "Born on the Fourth of July", which show the transition of American youth from pro-military to anti-war.

You could write a few books and still not have a complete answer to your questions.  Here's a few links that might help.