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PR of War: Dan and Lloyd are on the right track

Reader comment on item: Op Eds Now More Central in War than Bullets
in response to reader comment: PR of War

Submitted by James Vesce (United States), Oct 25, 2006 at 17:22

Yes, Dan and Lloyd, we need some agency to disseminate information and to shape opinions in a way that will raise our national cultural pride and invigorate our collective fighting spirit.

I'm glad you referenced the Committe on Public Information and the Office for War Information. We had very effective dissemination of info and opinions in WW II from the Office for War Information, and people today can still relate to the products they made way back 60 years ago. If people today could see the "Why We Fight" series of films used during WW II, some of which can be found in DVD film compilations from that period, they'd understand why America was able to pull together in the long, hard days of that war. I've seen several of them, and their modern equivalents would be terrifically useful today. Even the WW II cartoons in the Merry Melodies series were inspiring: Bugs Bunny was a war hero.

The big differences between then and now are that Hollywood was on our side in WW II, or, at least some of it was, and that the government was able to disseminate info and opinions without much external interference from the public and from the media. We had good, effective propaganda in WW II, which was essential to the war effort. Since then, during the cold war period, "communist propaganda" became a term of opprobrium, so now it is assumed that all propaganda is inherently evil. In spite of the values and nuances of meaning recently applied to the term "propaganda", what we actually need is good, effective propaganda, and brilliant propagandists.

Also, there simply seemed to be more backbone in the people who ran the big newspapers and the big studios during the first half of the 20th century, and today they seem to be more afraid of Islamist reprisals than they are of gradually losing the global jihad. Actors in those days wanted to play a war hero in the movies, but today they want to play reluctant soldiers with complicated issues who are trying to "find themselves".

As a consequence, now, the public tends to explain every bad occurrence in the world as the consequence of a bad thing done by somebody, or by some political party, in our government, since that is the pattern of news reporting that emerged during the Nixon era, and we've never grown out of it.

Most of us, today, are really not even allowed to see the true face of the enemy or see the patterns of his evil doings. We're discouraged from hating the enemy, and discouraged from feeling good about the prospect of killing him before he kills or enslaves us.

In WW II, you could go to a theatre and see newsreel footage of Americans who had been cruelly violated by the "Nazis" or the "Japs" (we were allowed to refer to an enemy who was trying to destroy us in language that was uncomplimentary, even insulting and dehumanizing, in a pattern of language use that actually seemed to help matters along quite wonderfully) and then cheer when our gallant forces "got even" in a stunning victory. People actually clapped and cheered out loud in the movie theatres when we saw our soldiers winning a battle in a newsreel back in those days, but, then, such spirit was encouraged and everybody wanted to feel as though we were striving and winning together.

It would never occur to most Americans in WW II to apologize for being a dyed-in-the-wool patriot. They apologized for not being patriots, if anybody ever found out about it.

I don't think the answer today could come from a Committee on Public Information, or an Office for War Information, unless that body were organized as a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization. Maybe a protected government contractor or limited liability corporation could get it done. By the time partisan politics got through with overseeing a government agency trying to do the work, all the punch would be edited out of anything they produced. In addition, the freedoms to get their work done enjoyed by such an organization would have to be protected vigorously by our national security apparatus, and it would have to be shielded from civil litigation. We have highly skilled PsyOps people these days, and this would be an excellent place for them to exercise their talents.

I'd love to see it happen, and think we sorely need it, though nobody these days seems to have the requisite intestinal fortitude to make it happen. When they get close to making it happen, today, some media wonk like Tim Russert pummels them during an on-camera interview and makes them look like villians, in the name of "objective reporting". When they get close to making it happen, today, I suspect that the really compelling shots wind up on the cutting room floor because some Islamist makes a phone call or pays somebody a visit, and scares them away from making a really moving statement.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (125) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Holocaust survivor (OBM) Rachel Zini's reply to a politician's fake, cruel, horrific attempted 'comparison' [691 words]FannyDec 24, 2022 23:02290092
Arab and some radical leftists mainly of Haaretz - fake comparisons to aggressive "Palestinian" attackers [2240 words]NinaMar 6, 2022 10:45279219
Vile unreliable Haaretz: never misses an opportunity to incite anti-Jewish hatred - misleading headline [87 words]MitchMar 6, 2022 04:28279218
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A War of Public Relations [275 words]Jaisingh ThakurJul 29, 2007 08:47105066
reporters should live in Israel during an attack , then " shoot " their mouths off [235 words]Phil GreendJun 6, 2007 18:3996416
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A War - or a Dialogue? [1415 words]Thomas Justin KazeOct 31, 2006 22:5864928
What's it going take ! [181 words]dfwhiteOct 23, 2006 22:3764284
Whats it going to take? Response to dfwhite [656 words]Faqi HussainOct 25, 2006 21:2364284
Reply to dfwhite: It will take something like the solutions Trufelman and I discussed (see earlier comments) [537 words]James VesceOct 27, 2006 18:3064284
mirror [226 words]dfwhiteOct 28, 2006 23:0264284
Can't we really handle them? [689 words]Thomas Justin KazeOct 23, 2006 05:2664186
DUBIOUS LIARS [64 words]syed mohammad aliOct 24, 2006 02:4764186
You've got spunk to tell it like it is - Thomas Justin Kaze [53 words]JaladhiOct 24, 2006 15:5564186
On the contrary Sayed.... [496 words]HomefrontOct 25, 2006 00:2464186
Mr. Syed Mohammad Ali [163 words]Thomas Justin KazeOct 30, 2006 00:0664186
The renaissance... - Thomas Justin [97 words]Ammar AhmedOct 31, 2006 22:4564186
France's Permanent Intifada by Islamist Muslims [123 words]GandhibaNov 1, 2006 04:4364186
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to salomon (geneva convention no longer valid ) [69 words]syed mohammad aliOct 23, 2006 03:2863506
Shame on us! [209 words]Burnice McLaurinOct 21, 2006 17:3363458
You are right [33 words]KurtlaneOct 28, 2006 03:1163458
A new way of War. [316 words]Gary CochranOct 21, 2006 10:2763425
We destroy, we invade to finish the job, and we leave it for NATO [236 words]HarrakOct 22, 2006 00:5063425
You're right on Oil [358 words]Gary CochranOct 23, 2006 00:1463425
if not [100 words]dfwhiteOct 21, 2006 01:5263363
PR of War [132 words]Lloyd TrufelmanOct 20, 2006 14:0062767
PR of War: Dan and Lloyd are on the right track [835 words]James VesceOct 25, 2006 17:2262767
3Can west defeat islam? answer: No, because [205 words]Muhammad YunusOct 20, 2006 10:3962744
Anti-American American and the exaggerations made by Yunus [245 words]HarrakOct 21, 2006 11:2762744
Good Grief [422 words]Bryan JacksonOct 21, 2006 22:4362744
Can we defeat Islam? Who cares? [86 words]Kay MichelleOct 21, 2006 23:2162744
west need not defeat [31 words]eliasOct 23, 2006 07:3662744
For Muhammad Yunus [82 words]Peter HerzOct 23, 2006 16:2462744
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1All Non Muslims in USA must unite for the Greater good of Humanity [116 words]SuthputraNov 2, 2006 15:0062744
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re PR in our epoch [263 words]Jascha KesslerOct 19, 2006 13:4961536
Bad News & Good News [111 words]LDCOct 19, 2006 10:0761509
The Philippines and Ireland as addtional examples of early press influence [641 words]John BroomOct 19, 2006 09:5861508
I think it's more about perceived threat [202 words]NotoOct 18, 2006 22:4561466
Wasn't it Napoleon who said - The moral is to the physical as three to one [84 words]SullyOct 18, 2006 19:4361450
foolish thoughts [19 words]syed mohammad aliOct 18, 2006 15:0861407
foolish thoughts [301 words]Another AmericanOct 18, 2006 18:0161407
foolish thoughts [88 words]EdOct 18, 2006 19:4061407
And That is Why.... [29 words]BlackspeareOct 18, 2006 19:5861407
Wrong Question [301 words]Caesar M. ArevaloOct 19, 2006 00:4761407
Correct [11 words]Octavio JohansonOct 19, 2006 02:5661407
I glady deny the rights to a 'way of life' that... [664 words]CanadianChrisOct 19, 2006 13:2361407
Foolish thoughts Syed Mohammad Ali [812 words]JanOct 19, 2006 14:0361407
1Deutchland Ubber Alles [64 words]Yuval Brandstetter MDOct 19, 2006 17:1561407
Not just foolish, ridiculous also [95 words]VinodguptOct 19, 2006 18:2861407
Apologies to Blackspere [79 words]Faqi HussainOct 19, 2006 21:4561407
Foolish thoughts, foolish question [223 words]JeffOct 19, 2006 23:3261407
to jan [153 words]syed mohammad aliOct 21, 2006 08:1961407
do you ever read the history of first crusade [130 words]syed mohammad aliOct 21, 2006 12:4361407
Of course you can! [96 words]Kay MichelleOct 21, 2006 23:4561407
response to seyd mohammad ali [234 words]Faqi HussainOct 22, 2006 01:0161407
Syed [102 words]Another InfidelOct 22, 2006 03:3061407
many muslims settled in west for earning and nothing else [90 words]syed mohammad aliOct 22, 2006 21:1061407
you shouldnt have the name faqi hussian [156 words]syed mohammad aliOct 22, 2006 21:1861407
1To Syed Mohammad Ali, my goodness, are there contradictions in the Quran? [428 words]JanOct 23, 2006 05:5461407
Jeff, actually Syed isn't free to follow Islam, you forgot... [47 words]Kay MichelleOct 23, 2006 19:1761407
Feeble Reply..Syed!! [176 words]Another InfidelOct 24, 2006 01:2461407
To syed mohammad ali [52 words]Gellin and InfidellinOct 24, 2006 21:2861407
partial and incorrect information is dangerous [205 words]syed mohammed aliJan 6, 2010 07:4661407
The pen is mightier than the sword [9 words]Robert ArbetmanOct 18, 2006 11:5361393
If it is true , we have already lost [253 words]JaladhiOct 18, 2006 11:3061388
If it is true, we have already lost [89 words]Another AmericanOct 18, 2006 17:2061388
I agree [19 words]LDCOct 19, 2006 10:1261388
Hope you are right- Another American [73 words]JaladhiOct 19, 2006 15:3861388
Hope you are right - [235 words]Another AmericanOct 20, 2006 00:0961388
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Dr. Pipes, a small correction. [280 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MosheOct 18, 2006 10:4561381
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Invading the right country is also important [248 words]AaronOct 18, 2006 03:1960810
Propaganda and PR [232 words]Caesar M. ArevaloOct 18, 2006 00:0360792
EQ trumps IQ trumps experience [392 words]trans-parereOct 17, 2006 18:5160753
left out [310 words]dfwhiteOct 17, 2006 17:1360746
Old War, New War, Nuclear War and WMDs [99 words]Open BSDOct 17, 2006 16:5660745
Re: Op Eds Now More Central in War than Bullets [229 words]Mendl MalkinOct 17, 2006 16:0060738
another question.. [257 words]J.S.Oct 17, 2006 15:2960736
Confidence in the West [109 words]David W. LincolnOct 17, 2006 16:3860736
UNFORTUNATELY YOU'RE RIGHT [49 words]JOHN MANITTAOct 17, 2006 14:5960734
"Convergence" but of another kind. [40 words]IVAN CHEROct 17, 2006 14:5760733
The influence of the media [183 words]muminsalihOct 17, 2006 14:4560731
Ironic [333 words]Mark KayeOct 17, 2006 14:1960728
Mark, not Ironic, your post is rather Prophetic. [98 words]MosheOct 18, 2006 06:3260728
"the smaller and weaker sister religion" [90 words]MosheOct 18, 2006 07:0060728
Ironic [6 words]Another AmericanOct 18, 2006 22:0860728
Jews and the whole world [312 words]trans-parereOct 19, 2006 15:4160728
just deserts [210 words]trans-parereOct 19, 2006 16:2260728
I agree with your message in General BUT you are wrong about .... [123 words]Jeff BurkeOct 20, 2006 06:2960728
making my point [227 words]trans-parereOct 20, 2006 16:1760728
Dear Trans-parere, re.:"Jews and the whole world" [296 words]MosheOct 21, 2006 17:2360728
anti-Christian [479 words]trans-parereOct 21, 2006 20:2260728
trans-parere, a lesson in history [381 words]InfidelOct 22, 2006 21:2860728
Anti-Christian? [140 words]MosheOct 23, 2006 04:0760728
And God said what? Infidel [159 words]trans-parereOct 23, 2006 17:2760728
SYSTMATIC ERADICATION IS COMPLETE IN TURKEY [82 words]DONT FORGET THE ARMENIAN /ASSYRIAN GENOCIDEOct 26, 2006 04:0460728
One more word on :"Jews and the whole world" [79 words]MosheOct 28, 2006 17:5460728
Moshe and the one opinion and the one history [371 words]trans-parereOct 28, 2006 23:4060728
trans-parere's flawed Jewish history [515 words]InfidelOct 29, 2006 22:2460728
Dear Trans-parere [283 words]MosheOct 31, 2006 09:2160728
Moshe [171 words]Trans-parereNov 1, 2006 00:0860728
Infidel [170 words]Trans-parereNov 1, 2006 01:0060728
Trans-parere [97 words]MosheNov 2, 2006 05:5760728
PR Vs. bullets [48 words]Dusan LipenskyOct 17, 2006 14:0960727
Underdogs win every modern war [240 words]PatOct 17, 2006 13:5260726
Well said, but is anyone listening? [129 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Rick HouseOct 17, 2006 13:2960725
You can't... [164 words]LDCOct 19, 2006 10:3060725
But what is community based upon? [122 words]David W. LincolnOct 17, 2006 13:0060719
the op-ed war is the most lop-sided of all [160 words]Yuval Brandstetter MDOct 17, 2006 16:2960719
The Black Book of Communism says otherwise. [153 words]David W. LincolnOct 17, 2006 16:4760719
Are we committed?? [127 words]Dennis SellersOct 17, 2006 12:3060716
Dennis, your Dad... [66 words]LDCOct 19, 2006 10:1960716
What is right is a stronger motivator than security [797 words]CanadianChrisOct 23, 2006 11:1860716
I agree with you Chris ! , We need to expose the real enemy and we will see the lines of volunteers [154 words]Indian ChandraguptOct 27, 2006 23:3060716
Chris and Chandragupt [506 words]Trans-parereOct 29, 2006 19:3760716
Fundamentalism in every form is the problem [871 words]CanadianChrisNov 1, 2006 01:1560716

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