Question

You are President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Nearly three months

into a grueling engagement on the island of Guadalcanal, during
which the American public has been shielded from news and
graphic images of the fighting and the casualties, the tide begins
to turn in favor of the United States. In late October 1942,
tenacious fighting by US Marines and soldiers blunts a Japanese
ground assault. Then, a mid-November victory in the Naval Battle
of Guadalcanal all but assures that the United States will maintain
control of Guadalcanal and its strategically important airstrip.
Events in Europe and the Mediterranean are also going well, with
the Allies making advances at Stalingrad and in North Africa. But
you must decide how much information to make public about the
costs of the war, most notably regarding the 1,705 US sailors who
died during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
Will you allow the news media to report the true number of
casualties from this battle?

Answer 1

After careful consideration, I have decided that the news media will be allowed to report the true number of casualties from the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. The United States has fought long and hard for victory in this engagement, and our citizens deserve to know the full scope of the price they have paid. It is also important that the American people understand the full price of freedom and be motivated by our dedication to it. Furthermore, I believe that knowing the true costs of war can help to ensure future generations never have to experience such devastating losses.