ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Vietnam was less quagmire and more a crucible for more than 468 women accredited reporters during a war where lives and deaths could never be measured by lines on a map. Elizabeth Becker’s new book, “You Don’t Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War,” offers insightful portraits of courageous women war correspondents who helped break down stereotypes.
During the divisive and transformative 1960s, both Presidents Kennedy and Johnson offered reporters, men and women alike, unrestricted access to the first war where casualties soldiers and the truth were broadcast on the evening news.
The war brought professional reporters to Vietnam, but for many women it was their first job. All of them were young and many found initial employment as freelancers (stringers). President Johnson’s support, along with the U.S. State Department’s “Maximum Candor” press briefings, created opportunities for female reporters and it’s where Ms. Becker�