50 years after ‘Napalm Girl,’ myths distort the reality behind a horrific photo of the Vietnam War and exaggerate its impact
- Written by W. Joseph Campbell, Professor of Communication Studies, American University School of Communication
Terrified children, including 9-year-old Kim Phuc, center, near Trang Bang, Vietnam, after a South Vietnamese plane on June 8, 1972, accidentally dropped its flaming napalm on its own troops and civilians.AP Photo/Nick Ut, FileThe “Napalm Girl” photograph of terror-stricken Vietnamese children fleeing an errant aerial attack on their...