While the U.S. government created overly optimistic materials that glorified the the Vietnam War, media outlets reported on the reality. Eventually, the public noticed the discrepancies between the government and media reports. Their newfound awareness eventually led to increased public pressure that put an end to the Vietnam War.
This is not a chronological history lesson. This lesson, instead, asks students to critically examine a historical event with which they are already familiar. Prior to this lesson, students should have a basic understanding of the Vietnam War.
The lesson uses the following video. For additional videos, a historical timeline on the topic and more, view Moments of Truth: Vietnam War.