Credibility gap is a political term that came into wide use during the 1960s and 1970s. At the time, it was most frequently used to describe public skepticism about the Johnson administration's statements and policies on the Vietnam War. Today, it is used more generally to describe almost any "gap" between the reality of a situation and what politicians and government agencies say about it. "Credibility gap" was originally used in association with the Vietnam War in the New York Herald Tribune in March 1965, to describe then-president Lyndon Johnson's handling of the escalation of American involvement in the war. A number of events—particularly the surprise Tet Offensive, and later the 1971 release of the Pentagon Papers—helped to confirm public suspicion that there was a significant "gap" between the administration's declarations of controlled military and political resolution, and the reality.
How can organizations bridge the credibility gap between themselves and their stakeholders? What strategies can leaders adopt to address the credibility gap in communication with their teams? In what ways can media outlets work to regain trust with the public and reduce the credibility gap? How do individuals assess the credibility of information sources to minimize the credibility gap in their decision-making processes?
Credibility gap
Credibility gap
The Vietnam War
The public grew distrustful of the Johnson administration.
create a credibility gap
the public grew distrustful of the johnson administration
The public grew distrustful of the Johnson administration.
The credibility gap
The gulf of tonkin resolution was discovered to be fabricated
The difference between the truth and what the administration said during the Vietnam War.
The credibility gap