Posted on 02/08/2007 10:28:50 AM PST by syriacus
From The American Forum
During the Korean Conflict, press censorship went through different stages. Censorship was voluntary until the Chinese Army entered the war. U.S. military commanders complained that correspondents had released information about troop movements, recovery of American prisoners from the Chinese and the use of a new combat airplane. Tougher restraints were imposed upon the press. All news stories were required to submit news reports and film to Army and Air Force censors.
On March 13, 1951, all news stories and film were also required to be approved by censors in Japan.
In January 1953, a Joint Field Press Censorship Group was created that approved all copy and film for transmission to American news media.
The highest number of journalists accredited to cover the Korean War was 270.
Here's my summary of an article from the Waterloo Daily Courier, front page | January 9, 1951 | UP
***Full Wartime Censorship Placed on Korean News
Yes, as a Democrat war they would approve, and they would be in the war to win.
Here's the full text of the 1951 article
Full Wartime Censorship Placed on Korean News 1/9/51
Waterloo Daily Courier, front page | January 9, 1951 | UP
U. S. Eighth Army headquarters, Korea. –(UP) –
The US.Eighth Army imposed full wartime censorship on news coverage of the Korean War Tuesday and threatened to courtmartial newsmen who deliberately report any troop movements without authorization.
Veteran war correspondents agreed the regulations were the most inclusive they had ever received from any army headquarters.
The rules placed correspondents under the complete jusrisdiction of the army and forbade any crisicism of the Allied conduct of the war.
The regulations, succeeding the present security censorship, provide that all dispatches filed to publications throughout the world will be screened for military information which might injure the morale of UN troops or their government.
Mention of the following matters was specifically forbidden:
1. Identity of organizations in the combat and communications zones, unless anounced in communiques. When announced, no place names will be used.
2. Quoting officers in any way, except as specifically authorized
3. Stating that any sector in Korea is occupied by American troops until the enemy has established it as a fact.
4. Stating that any town or village in the combat zone is accupied [sic] by American or Allied forces unless it is essential to a news story.
5. The mention of any base port, communications center or other point on a communications line.
6. Ship or rail movements, unless authorized
7. Any discussion of Allied air power
8. The mention of number of troops, unless authorized.
9. The effect of enemy fire or bombarment, unless authorized.
Also listed as unauthorized was information on the strength, efficiency, morale, or organization of Allied forces.
Under this rule, no mention may be made of reinforcements, equipment, arms, plans and forecasts of future operations, or positions or descriptions of camps.
Casualties may not be revealed before official publication.
The Eighth Army ruled that any violator of the code will be suspended from all privileges.
"He may be subject to disciplinary action because of an intentional violation of these and other regulations, either in letter or in spirit, and in extreme cases of offense where investigation proves the circumstances warrant the correspondent may be placed in arrest to await deportation or trial by courtmartial,' the announcement said.
I think you are right.
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