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LIFE Covers: The War in Vietnam

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LIFE magazine’s coverage of the war in Vietnam was unique among American publications not only because the scope and quality of the photojournalism featured in its pages outpaced that of pretty much every other outlet, but because the evolution of the magazine’s attitude toward the war — from early, tentative support to a tough-minded (albeit reluctant) skepticism — was played out in such a dramatic, public way as the years passed and the body count mounted.

[See all of LIFE.com’s Vietnam War galleries.]

Here, on the 50th anniversary of the military coup that deposed (and led to the assassination of) South Vietnamese President Diem, LIFE.com takes a look back LIFE’s war-related covers from the 1960s into the early ’70s — magazine covers that help put into context the national dialog that grew to a sustained and sometimes frightening roar during those divisive years.

NOTE: This gallery is best viewed in “full screen” mode; see button at lower right of the gallery frame, above.

LIFE, October 27, 1961
NOTE: This gallery is best viewed in “full screen” mode; see button at right. Above: LIFE, October 27, 1961. Ralph Morse—LIFE Magazine
October 11, 1963
LIFE, October 11, 1963John Loengard—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, November 15, 1963
LIFE, November 15, 1963James Pickerell—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, June 12, 1964
LIFE, June 12, 1964Larry Burrows—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, November 27, 1964
LIFE, November 27, 1964Larry Burrows—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, April 16, 1965
LIFE, April 16, 1965Larry Burrows—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, July 2, 1965
LIFE, July 2, 1965Bill Eppridge—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, August 6, 1965
LIFE, August 6, 1965Bill Ray—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, October 22, 1965
LIFE, October 22, 1965Charles Moore—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, November 26, 1965
LIFE, November 26, 1965Paul Schutzer—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, January 14, 1966
LIFE, January 14, 1966Romano Cagnoni—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, February 11, 1966
LIFE, February 11, 1966Henri Huet—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, February 25, 1966
LIFE, February 25, 1966Larry Burrows—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, October 28, 1966
LIFE, October 28, 1966Larry Burrows—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, November 4, 1966
LIFE, November 4, 1966George Silk—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, January 13, 1967
LIFE, January 13, 1967Larry Burrows—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, March 10, 1967
LIFE, March 10, 1967Co Rentmeester—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, April 7, 1967
LIFE, April 7, 1967Lee Lockwood—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, August 25, 1967
LIFE, August 25, 1967Co Rentmeester—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, October 20, 1967
LIFE, October 20, 1967DEFA—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, February 16, 1968
LIFE, February 16, 1968Catherine Leroy—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, November 8, 1968
LIFE, November 8, 1968Larry Burrows—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, June 27, 1969
LIFE, June 27, 1969LIFE magazine
LIFE, May 22, 1970
LIFE, May 22, 1970Frank Fischbeck (top), Co Rentmeester (bottom)—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, May 12, 1972
LIFE, May 12, 1972Kichiro Morita—LIFE Magazine
LIFE, November 10, 1972
LIFE, November 10, 1972Joris Iven—LIFE Magazine

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