RE: [Leica] Embedded Brit journalists will receive Iraq Campaignmedal

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

I, too, may be off-base here, but I believe that the Ernie Pyles and
Robert Capa's were the exception in World War II, and that most
correspondents were assigned to units. Those unit's, however, were, I
believe, much larger, giving the correspondents more freedom to roam.
And 'screen' isn't what the censors did - they CENSORED. Keep in mind,
too, that Ernie Pyle - whose work was terrific - was a cheerleader for
the troops, as were most WWII correspondents.

As to WWI, reporting and photography were heavily censored; had they not
been, and had folks at home been aware of the utterly senseless,
unnecessary slaughter of that particular war, it is likely there would
have been major resistance to the war in the Allied nations.

B. D.
- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Feli di
Giorgio
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2004 9:52 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Embedded Brit journalists will receive Iraq
Campaignmedal


On Mon, 2004-02-23 at 17:47, dante@umich.edu wrote:

Capa, Ernie Pile etc. were not embedded with a particular unit. They
could move around as they wanted, jumping from unit to unit as they
chose. They were certified by the Allied forces as press photographers
and if I remember correctly their photos had to be screened by censors.
So, yes, their work was screened, but they weren't attached to a
particular unit like PJ's were during Gulf War II. After Vietnam the
Pentagon decided to clamp down on the freedom of the press in war zones.
They didn't want news crews broadcasting daily action directly into
living rooms across America. I remember the coverage of Gulf War I 
being very, very clean, as was that of the sequel.

I am in no way knocking the guys and girls who went into Iraq. many of
them paid with their lives and it takes a lot of balls to do what they
did. 

Someone please jump in if the above information is incorrect.

Feli

> 
> And I'm sorry - someone remind me of how Capa bought it - embedded 
> with soldiers?  Not like he was wandering around Asia by himself.  And

> let's not forget that Nachtwey (put your tongues away) and his editor 
> Weisskopf were themselves the guests of the military (that was a 
> Humvee there were riding in).  Your heroes Duncan, Capa, Smith, &c 
> were all what they would call embedded journalists.  And I'm almost 
> sure that the controls on the press were just as tight in WWII, Korea 
> or Indochina.  If it weren't for "embedding" (new term, old concept), 
> you'd be pretty lucky to have any coverage at all.  Being embedded vs.

> not is not a matter of ethics - it is a matter of self-preservation.  
> People aren't exactly breaking down the doors to do coverage without 
> cover.
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