Military censorship
Military censorship refers to the control of information related to military operations by government or military authorities, often implemented to safeguard national security and maintain public support. This practice has roots dating back to the Crimean War (1853–1856), where the first known censorship order was issued, prohibiting the publication of material that could undermine morale or criticize military leadership. Throughout history, military censorship has been a common strategy used by nations during conflicts, as seen in the Boer Wars and World War I, where governments sought to manage public perceptions of the war.
The practice became more pronounced during World War II, with leaders recognizing the significant impact of public opinion on warfare. In contrast, the lack of censorship during the Vietnam War is often cited as a factor that contributed to negative public sentiment and, consequently, the war's outcome. Following this, censorship was reinstated during the Gulf War, highlighting the ongoing debate about the balance between transparency and national security in military operations. Overall, military censorship remains a complex and contentious topic, reflecting varying philosophies on the role of media in wartime.
Military censorship
Government or military control of information concerning military operations that might prove a security risk or negatively affect political and popular support for such operations if released to the public. Military censorship dates to the Crimean War (1853–1856). The first war in history to be actively covered by journalists, the Crimean War also witnessed British commander Sir William Codrington’s issuance of the world’s first censorship order on February 25, 1856: No material was to be published that was detrimental to morale or critical of the British high command.
Since the Crimean War, censorship has become common on the home fronts of warring nations. The British press was again careful to shield its citizens from the horrors of war during the Boer Wars (1880–1902) and World War I (1914–1918). The United States followed suit upon entering the latter conflict in 1917, carefully censoring the dispatches of its journalists. During World War II (1939–1945), Allied commanders openly expressed their approval of censorship as a means of keeping public opinion (as well as political support for a war) positive. The supreme commander in Europe, U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower, said, “Public opinion wins war.”
Two decades later, U.S. war correspondents in the Vietnam War (1961–1975) were not censored—a fact that led the military to believe that poor public opinion fueled by unchecked journalism doomed the United States’ war effort in Indochina. Perhaps as a reaction to this failure and its perceived cause, the U.S. military restored censorship during the Gulf War (1990–1991).