54 War Correspondents K.I.A. WWII
A Gripping Account of War Journalism 1940-1945 by Doral Chenoweth
          
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Why NOW Originally this website covered only the World War II period from May, 1940, when Webb Miller, United Press, died in a London blackout to 18 April 1945 when Ernie Pyle was gunned down on a remote Pacific island, Ie Shima. Intent was to present a historical narrative of how street reporters and foreign correspondents were suddenly turned into combat correspondents. In the span of those two dates, 52 more reporters, writers, photographers and one famous novelist were killed on action. They were covering a conventional war with two distinct sides, the Allies and an enemy composed of Germans, Italians and Japanese. This page, however, is being pulled together as this nation is in military turmoil with two wars and Libya, a military action yet to be defined. This is what is happening now in the structure of reporting a war. Today the Internet makes it possible to immediately report on conflicts the world over. In the first two weeks of the multi-nation assault on the Gaddafi government (March 2011) more than 300 reporters of various stripes and countries roamed in and near Libya. There has been confusion. While there is no central press office for briefings from various factions, there is a new player. Two, actually: Al Jazeera Arabic and Al Jazeera English. A veteran Ohio newsman with contacts around the world, Mike Lorz, has been told that reporters in desert Libya have been depending upon streaming Al Jazeera reports to keep up with the fast moving ground and air picture. Al Jazeera in both languages scored big with coverage of Egypt and the quick overthrow of Hosni Mubarak. Bottom line: More reporters are in more danger than ever before. Below you will find our coverage of their coverage. (22MARCH2011) Click into Qatar-based Al Jazeera English: english.aljazeera.net Click on the article to pull up the news story. 20APRIL2011 Qaddafi shelling in War-torn Libya claims first journalist... Tim Hetherington, top photojournalist, had survived fighting in Afghan war, Twittered day prior to his death that fighting was intense, closing with this state of the war, "No sign of NATO." War with no defined front lines claiming scores of injured and missing reporters; 80-plus attacks on press... 23MARCH2011 Four captive correspondents in Libya faced days of brutality NYTimes staffers released by Gaddafi's thugs, but not before being subjected to death threats, beatings, beheadings... 21MARCH2011 Compare: WW I reporting...Libya's reportage mess... During World War I accredited correspondents wore Army-issue uniforms, Sam Browne belts and felt arm bands with the white stitched-in letter C. In 1950 Westbrook Pegler gave this book the image of the nine U. S. correspondents then assigned to the war working mostly through the B.E.F., British Expeditionary Force. Pegler and 11 other Americans reporters spent most of their time fighting strict British censorship. For their story, click onto Epilogue: www.54warcorrespondents-kia-30-ww2.com/epilogue.html
Update 2011: When the dust settles in Libya... Some 300 reporters from scores of media organizations and nations (assigned and free lance) will have covered the rebels fighting to bring down Gaddafi. CNN's top correspondent rips into Fox News illustrating contemporary problems when reporting news to the world... 21MARCH2011 - 3:15 PM News crews as human shields in Libya? News crews as human shields in Libya? Brit fighter jets had seven missiles fused and ready to erase Gaddafi's residential compound. The strike was spiked when the right people learned Gaddafi's minders were touring CNN and Reuters news crews through the complex. Stay tuned... 21MARCH2011 The perils of covering wars tourist-class... Four NYTimes journalists kidnapped in Libya freed into custody of Turks; did not have safety gear because flak jackets, body armor, helmets are confiscated when passing through; Egypt; all four are vets of Iraq-Afghan wars; Libya: "most dangerous."  17 FEB 2011 CBS reporter raped covering Egypt.. Women remain at risk during 18-day revolt that toppled Mubarak; 'New Egypt" didn't last in Tahrir Square...  18 FEB 2011 A guardian group for reporters worldwide... An "imposible assignment" handed Committee to Protect Journalists as world ferment gathers; 44 reporters die in 2010... |
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PROTECTION: Filed with Writers Guild of America, 2003.
Renewed Copyright Pending