JUNE 14, 1968

Full News Archive

• Headline: Hanoi's Strategic Fight-and-Talk Approach. Impact: The fight-and-talk strategy employed in Vietnam led to a global trend of adopting mixed negotiation tactics. Today, world leaders are still trying to figure out how to have a conversation while simultaneously throwing shade at each other.. Fact: The phrase 'fight-and-talk' sounds like a bad reality TV show where contestants argue over who gets the last piece of pizza..
• Headline: Saigon's Call for Military Action. Impact: Demanding a rocket reprisal in Saigon caused a ripple effect that made future peace talks awkward, as everyone kept glancing at their watch, wondering when the next missile would land.. Fact: If only there were social media in the 60s, the hashtag #RocketReprisal would have been trending faster than anything today!.
• Headline: Eaton Foresees Vietnam Peace Agreement Soon. Impact: Eaton's optimism about peace in Vietnam set off a chain reaction of misplaced hope in diplomatic talks, which eventually led to the invention of the phrase 'We'll see what happens'—a euphemism for 'I have no idea.'. Fact: Eaton's talks were so hopeful that they might as well have involved a crystal ball and a psychic hotline..
• Headline: HOUSE VOTES BILL ON CLEAN POULTRY; Calls for an Expansion of State Inspection Systems. Impact: The clean poultry bill, while noble, sparked an unexpected movement toward organic chicken farming, causing hipster cafes to pop up everywhere, serving overpriced free-range eggs.. Fact: Because nothing says 'I care about you' like a $10 egg benedict made with poultry that had a better diet than most of us!.
• Headline: SAIGON AIDE OUSTED OVER ISSUE OF N. L. F.. Impact: The dismissal of Phan Quang Dan for advocating talks with the NLF caused a chilling effect on open dialogue, proving that in politics, sometimes the loudest voice is the one that gets heard... or fired.. Fact: This incident could serve as a cautionary tale for anyone thinking that suggesting peace in a war zone might be a good career move..
• Headline: ROCKETS STRIKE SAIGON AIR BASE; But City is Spared Attack Second Night in a Row. Impact: The rockets striking Saigon air base made sure that everyone knew war was not just a hobby; it was a full-time job—leading to the modern phenomenon of 'work-life balance' being redefined as dodging bullets at work.. Fact: If the airbase had a Yelp page, the reviews would probably read: 'Great ambiance, terrible service!'.
• Headline: M'CARTHY REPORTS NEW MOOD ON WAR; Says Public Would Support Unilateral Withdrawal -Asks Help for Cities. Impact: McCarthy's report on public support for withdrawal birthed a wave of 'anti-war' merchandise, which eventually paved the way for today's protest T-shirts and 'Make Love, Not War' memes.. Fact: If only he had a podcast, he could have been a millennial icon for all the armchair political activists of today!.