"Vietnam was the first war ever fought without any censorship. Without censorship, things can get terribly confused in the public mind"
- William Westmoreland
About this Quote
This quote by William Westmoreland is describing the Vietnam War, which was the very first war in history to be battled with no censorship. This means that the public was exposed to the truths of war, with no filter or control from the federal government. This could have triggered confusion in the general public mind, as they were not used to seeing the true horrors of war. Without censorship, the public was exposed to the full extent of the violence and destruction of the war, which might have been frustrating and complicated. This quote is a reminder of the value of censorship in war, as it can assist to safeguard the general public from the full extent of the violence and destruction. It also acts as a caution of the prospective confusion that can occur when the general public is exposed to the truths of war with no censorship.