The Associated Press on Wednesday issued this statement regarding claims around AP’s iconic “The Terror of War” photograph:
The Associated Press values the facts and takes with the utmost seriousness any claim that calls into question the veracity of its journalism.
Aware of this film for some time, AP spent over six months conducting an extensive review of its iconic “The Terror of War” photo, taken on June 8, 1972, which has been credited with changing the course of the Vietnam War. In our pursuit of the facts, we also for months asked the filmmakers to show us their full materials without preconditions, but they have so far not agreed to do so.
While we have been unable to see the film, we have reviewed the partial information the filmmakers shared with us, along with our archives and publicly available records, and interviewed seven eyewitnesses on the road in Trang Bang and in the bureau the day the photo was taken, along with four others with detailed knowledge of AP’s operations in Vietnam and the history of the photo.Our research supports the historical account that Nick Ut took this picture. In the absence of new, convincing evidence to the contrary, AP has no reason to believe this photo was taken by anyone other than Ut.
In keeping with our news values of accuracy, accountability and transparency, we stand ready to review any and all evidence. The Associated Press is committed to a truthful history of this photo – one of the most important pieces of photojournalism of the last century.
