1982: The Reagan Administration denied a massacre had occurred at El Mozote.

They blamed the story on communist propaganda.

The "propaganda" turned out to be true.

Investigators eventually found that some 1,000 men, women, and children had been murdered there.

Some time later, rebel "propaganda" indicated that US soldiers had directly participated in the massacre.

This included, a captured Salvadoran soldier said, a US advisor murdering a pregnant woman and her son.

The US State Department denied this as well.

1984: As the denials of appalling massacres became less tenable, the @nytimes ran a piece claiming the very general in charge at El Mozote had "evolved" and now wanted to "win popular support."

It characterized army's previous behavior as "often insensitive."

"often insensitive"

Lydia Chavez, who penned that, uh, generous assessment, now looks like she's bringing up the next generation of reporters.

We're in good hands, folks.