CLS: Alex Lovelace

This lecture examines how and why the press influenced military operations during World War II. With the onset of total war, both Axis and Allied nations hoped to employ the media as a weapon in the conflict. For the U.S. military, the media was used to inspire soldiers, improve the morale of the home front, and influence public opinion to better serve the war effort. At the same time, the press and public opinion increasingly influenced the battlefield decisions of military commanders. By the end of the war, the media was playing a large role in the strategic and operational decisions of Allied generals. This talk is adapted from the speaker’s forthcoming book The Media Offensive: How the American Press Shaped Allied Strategy during World War II.