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American Wartime Media

Thesis: The American government effectively uses the media to promote a war time effort.

Throughout American history the media has played a key part in the perseverance through great struggles. The endorsement of the people that make up a nation helps to ensure the smooth flow of operations. America is no different from any other nation when it comes to this. A failure to keep popular opinion inline with the ways of the government stalls any wartime effort. Media is used to paint a picture that will bring the populace to the will of its government.
During a war propaganda is used to paint the picture the American government wants. Walter Lippmann said it best; “a failure to keep popular opinion inline with the ways of the government stalls any wartime effort. Media is used to paint a picture that will bring the populace to the will of its government. (Shah)” When America is at war the military does its best to control the media about the battlefront. Reporters have to have to get clearance to get access into certain zones. The Armed Forces also have their own media networks; newspapers, radio, magazines, and TV stations to help its views on the war. Men and women of the Armed Forces are given orders to not talk to the media about topics not okayed by their higher ranking officers. They are to get permission from their superiors before engaging any media officials. Also, troops are not allowed to discredit their government, branch, or, unit be saying anything that would but anything of them in a negative light.
Music is a key resource used to promote the current war effort. Songs like Toby Keith’s American Solder give listeners an attachment to the military. The lyrics are not only, patriotic but also express the hardship and sacrifices US troops must face to service in the military. Another popular song that is used to related troops to the average person is Tim McGraw’s song If Your Reading This. The song is about a dead soldier’s...