In 1854, London Times reporter William Howard Russel reports on the charge of the British Light Cavalry Brigade in Crimea. He writes of soldiers ill-fed, ill-led, and left on the field to die. Prince Albert is furious. Russell's reporting turns the public against the government, prompting history's first order of military censorship. Henceforth, any reporter who reports information that could be useful to the enemy will be expelled. Russell is hailed as the 'father of war reporting.'
Read both Tennyson's poem and Russel's report for understanding and then answer these questions:
1) Compare and contrast the tone and emotion of Tennyson's poem to William Russel's war report. How did each describe the soldiers? What was their view of leadership/ command? What was their message to the public?
2) What are some ways 19th-century readers might have reacted differently to a poem versus a newspaper report?
3) How does today’s media (TV, internet, social media) shape public opinion about wars?
4) Should war reporters try to stay neutral, or is it okay to take a moral stance? Explain your reasoning.
5) After studying both accounts, do you think the public should see the “heroic” side of war, the “tragic” side, or both? Why?
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