man war might" in the American consciousness, is schrecklich with gutturals that can be rasped in the throat with such unpleasant effect that it gives impact to any radio presentation. 5. The people of France are not to be referred to as "Vichyites," which term applies only to the governing clique. The independent French forces fighting in the United Nations' cause are the "Fighting French" and not the "Free French." 6. Speak of "Chinese" either in the singular or plural, and not of "Chinaman" or "Chinamen." 7. Speak of the "Red Army" and the "Red Navy," not the "Russian Army." Speak of "Communists" when use of the word is necessary, but of "Bolsheviks" only when using its historical connotation. Say "the USSR" or the "Soviet Union" when referring to that country as it has existed since 1917. Say "Russia" only when taking a long view of the national history, as for example "both Napoleon and Hitler have invaded Russia." It is preferable to speak of "the Battle of the USSR" rather than of "the Battle of Russia" though it is proper to speak of "the Russian language." To use "the Red Soldier" is correct; "Russian soldier" is incorrect. 8. It is "Britain" and "British," not "England" and "English," except when one speaks specifically of the area and people of that one part of the United Kingdom which is south of Scotland and east of Wales. The term "British" includes all inhabitants of the United Kingdom-Welsh, Scottish, English, and Ulstermen. The Scots prefer "Scottish" not "Scotch" except when the former are being offered a drink of the latter. Security The safeguarding of military information is of such transcendent importance that it is all but impossible for those charged with conditioning the thinking of the Armed Forces to put too much stress upon this subject. All who are in positions of authority are counseled to greater diligence on behalf of security measures and to the exercise of greater imagination in presenting this subject to troops via all media. An unremitting campaign to produce greater vigilance and caution in all forces is one of the prime responsibilities of information service. There is no release from this responsibility until the war ends, as the subject grows in importance at the same rate that our forces become increasingly engaged in operations overseas. Our side deserves and must have all true information right up to the point where it begins to aid or comfort the enemy. Balance News of his own battle and achievements, relayed back to the soldier via Army information services, is a tonic to his morale and a public acknowledgment of his services. No other battle, fought elsewhere, is more important to the soldier than the action in which he himself engages. If he cannot get applause, he at least wants to be able to feel that his people are cognizant of all that he is risking and doing and he is ever prone to measure this acknowledgement in terms of the printed or publicly spoken word. Therefore, in times when the largescale operations on the European mainland tend to monopolize national interest, it becomes more important than ever that the special reports to other theaters of operations give additional weight to the activities of our forces where the report is being sent. It is a false principle that the soldier in the Central Pacific must know best what is transpiring right around him and is therefore most anxious for news of our fortunes elsewhere. He wants to keep abreast of events, yes, but he wants most to see himself as he imagines the world is looking at him. Information so used is a positive stimulant to battle morale. The Other Armed Services To acknowledge fully and with appreciation the achievements of the United States Navy and to credit the Marines for their victories when credit is due is the unequivocal policy of Army information services. We are not in competition with them for public acclaim; it is a good day for us when either of the sister services merits the applause of the nation. But it is our duty to make certain that our own men and women are not slighted. It is unwise for any part of Army information services to be drawn into controversies about the division of credit or blame among the services in connection with our operations. The aim should be (1) To get at the facts of Army participation (2) To state them fully and convincingly. There is never at any time any justification for any kind of a smart trick by which, through publicity, we aggrandize ourselves at the expense of one of the other services. Rules of War The respect of the American soldier for the rules of war should be absolute. Any deviation from that standard is repugnant to the interests of the Army of the United States. Such deviations may occur under the stresses of combat. They are sometimes enlarged upon when the story is told to the home audience. It runs counter to policy for these stories to be repeated in information relayed to our forces abroad. They are, in fact, unwelcome to the combat soldier. He knows war's reality and is not particularly interested in stories of ferocity or bloodletting. They do not whip up his own ardor because he knows that he must meet his own problems as he comes to them. The Foreign-Born Soldier When a man wears the American uniform, whatever his name or blood lines, he is an American soldier. Let the name speak for itself! We expect and receive loyalty and courageous service of our men whatever their background. To speak of a soldier as Polish-born, or of Mexican origin or of Armenian parentage, etc., is to set him apart, as if it were the unexpected to get fealty and courage from such origins. The individual in uniform does not relish any such distinction. In General 1. Information coming from enemy sources, of whatever character, is to be stated as such. 2. The propaganda of the enemy is not to be picked up and used by information services, even when it appears to serve some purpose useful to ourselves, unless the source is stated. 3. Information is to be considered "official" when it is vouched for by a ranking Government official, a ranking officer of the Armed Forces, or a Government bureau. It is not so when newspapers or radio quote it as coming from a "high official source" or from "diplomatic quarters" or from "leading strategists." 4. Let there be no more talk of war as if it were a sporting proposition fought under the Marquis of Queensberry rules. When a Japanese or a German acts sporting, it is time to smell a rat. 5. No syndicated "columns" of any sort from civilian sources will be used in soldier publications. 6. Information to the Armed Forces should be kept clean in language and in thought. Profane or suggestive words are not necessary; indeed, the use of them detracts from the force of the utterance. A press cannot but in some degree fail of its purpose if, while professing to lead and shape the thinking of others, it sets a bad moral example. 7. The tenor of an Army press should not be systematically sympathetic but should reflect at all times the high spirits and the high seriousness which are the shield and sword of the first-class fighting man. To quote what was said of the "Faith of a Soldier" by the late Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes: "If it is our business to fight, the book for the Army is a war song, not a hospital sketch. It is not well for soldiers to think much about wounds. Sooner or later we shall fall; but meantime it is for us to fix our eyes upon the point to be stormed, and to get there if we can." 8. Information relating to American battle losses, the suffering of our troops, etc., is to be handled with the utmost prudence, keeping ever in mind the purpose to be served. The soldier must be kept cognizant of the nature of war. The ultimate mission of any Army is to engage and defeat the enemy, and battle losses are among the conse quences of that mission. But to put inordinate stress upon them is to obscure the principles of protection and of conservation of force, thereby lowering the confidence and fighting will of an Army 9. The Army's main purpose in the treatment of its men is not to duplicate the contentments and comforts of civil life. Wherein it fails to do so, it is not falling short of any part of its mission: Its main purpose is to make soldiers. Army editors will consider that the first obligation of the military establishment towards troops is to encourage their soldierly spirit and to contribute in all possible ways to their military efficiency. 10. It should be the aim of information services to condition the thinking of the soldier to the realization that there is no reason to believe this will be a short war or that it is likely to end before there is full participation by our combat forces in the fighting abroad. Though others may speculate about the possibility of miraculous short cuts to victory, such as internal revolt within the enemy countries, it is not a suitable topic for soldiers. The only alternatives that the times admit are to stand fast or go under-there is no middle course. "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Let the American soldier have the truth to think about; it is good enough to keep him a good soldier and a devoted citizen. Army Radio Broadcasting The United States Army is unique in the extent of its radio broadcast service to the armed forces. By shortwave from New York and San Francisco and by local service-operated stations overseas, information and entertainment programs are broadcast widely wherever our troops are stationed. It is axiomatic that every informational policy outlined in this guide referring to the printed word is equally applicable to the spoken word in Army broadcasting. Newscasts and other information programs transmitted over an Armed Forces Station will naturally be cleared by appropriate military intelligence authority. But mere security clearance is not enough. There is the clearance of simple good taste; the clearance of intelligent reason. The power of radio as a force to sway men's minds is beyond question. That force can work for good or ill. It can help us to understand our allies; improperly applied, it can lead us to distrust them without justice. Honest information honestly presented by radio can help to clarify in the minds of soldier-listeners the issues of World War II; false or even half-true information misdirected can confuse and distort those issues beyond all recognition. Radio to troops has the responsibility of a voice that speaks for, and to, the Army. What that voice says must be listenable if G-I radios are not to switch it off around the world. What it says must be worth saying if it is to justify its military existence. |