Censorship

The power of censorship is, according to Webster’s, “to delete from letters, dispatches, [and other means of communication] any secret or forbidden information.” In warfare, the prevention of the loss of tactical or operational information that may have an impact on military operations giving the enemy an advantage has been of paramount importance. With the advent of modern warfare, the prevention of the decay of public morale supporting war aims has made “the war of words and ideas … part of total war.” Communication and the instruments disseminating information have become part of the psychological war zone for the hearts and minds of populations. This entry discusses types of censorship, self-censorship and the use of censorship by the U.S. military, and the role of cable ...