THE U.S. BOMBING OF THE Hanoi-Haiphong area of North Vietnam that began on December 18, 1972, was a classic example of a military initiative designed to achieve a political objective. It was also one of the most passionately criticized American actions in that controversial war. The views of supporters of the “Christmas bombing,” as it came to be known, were rarely carried in the print or electronic media. In sharp contrast, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time, Newsweek, and the three commercial TV networks-the “prestige press”-both lavishly reported the outburst of opposition to the bombing and reinforced it with critical and sometimes scathing editorial comment. This criticism by the prestige media was an extension of their sustained hostility to both President Nixon and the Vietnam War. The Paris peace talks between National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger and Hanoi’s Le Duc Tho had suddenly accelerated in October 1972, when it appeared that an agreement was in sight. Difficulties had then arisen in Saigon, and the negotiations were resumed in November. Then, in December, just when the American side felt that an acceptable agreement had been hammered out, Hanoi hardened its position, and by December 13 the peace talks had become stalemated.
Download The Prestige Press and the Christmas Bombing-Martin F Herz-1972