“The first victim of the war is the truth” said the democrat congressman, Hiram Johson in 1917
Between the reality war and the truth that the public opinion knows there is a big abyss. The information is a mechanism of power that is used specially in time of war. The mass media are used to manipulate the reality of the war. To have the society fooled permits that many people support these acts and this way hidden political, social, economical and other interests can be achieved. With a good use of images, the mass media touches the society; this way started the public relations because each country needs to defend its truth.
All the wars in the history of the world have had different causes. But always man search to impose something for his/her only benefit. In the last 5.000 years of history, the humanity has only been 900 years at peace, but in these years the man prepared for next conflict. More than 8.000 peace treaties have been signed in the last 35 centuries. From 1945 until the end of the twentieth century, men have fought 140 wars in the entire world with 13 million deaths.
In this scenario the mass media plays a very important role for humanity, because the cause could not justify the means. Many people in the war have died between civilians and soldier from 1.000 A.D. until 2.000, 148 million victims. During the first half of the century 9 of every 10 victims were soldiers; in the second half 9 of the 10 victims of the conflicts were civilians. In this scenario the mass media play an important role in the history of humanity. The responsibility of them and their role in the education of the public opinion is enormous.
The mass media can help to win or lose a war. Giving wrong information about one of the two sides can change the future of the war. Each adversary can start a cruel rumor about his enemy and publishing this information could cost many lives. Like the Second World War, circulated a story about the nazies. It was said that they threw Belgian Babies into the air and them killed them with their bayonets. In the Gulf war was said that the Iraqis turned off incubators from hospitals to kill all babies that were inside them to send machines to Iraq. After several days that the mass media transmitted this information, pictures and videos of the witnesses making those accusations, the american public opinion accepted the war with Iraq.
The Australian journalist, Phillip Knightley, author of several books about language in war times, says in an interview with BBC that every war has the same process of media coverage of the conflict. For him, this process called disinformation process consist of four steps: inevitability of war, demonization of enemy, demonization of the enemy people and they told evil stories of the enemy society.
The first begins when the journalist and war correspondents who say that as conclusion, it is impossible to have a negotiation and that war is inevitable. Immediately and seek to stimulate becomes the demonization of the enemy. The enemy is not a human being, he/she is a demon. In the Gulf war, the mass media said that Saddam Hussein was like Hitler, this comparison made people remember the terror connected with an event from the past. After that, comes demonization of strange customs of that nation. Let us remember the discussions of American government about the women´s position in the Iraqi society. These types of acts prove that the society that is going to attack is not civilized and that they deserve what will happen. And finally, are revealed the atrocities being committed by the enemy and justifying the next war. Though many atrocities happen during one war, it has been proven that a lot of them are false.
According to information for the time Hitler was crazy; Saddam Hussein was a psychopath and Osama Bin Laden has been called this too. Is easy to see in a magazine headline; Bin Laden: inside the mind of a psychopath.
The specialist in Political Studies Sebastian Ochoa, relates wars with hidden economical interests of countries, enterprises or even powerful families. “Every war will always bring more power to those who promote it. There are always interests of powerful people searching for more power, who create different motives to realize a war. These motives are supported and spread thanks to the media that show partial realities or even made up realities to hide true motives. The media has always and will always take sides during a conflict. This happens because the media is usually owned by the same families that promote the wars, hence the intention of using them to create a supportive atmosphere in the general public”.
In conclusion, the participation of mass media in conflicts leaves a great deal to be expected from their function. It’s very important that any person in the world watch very carefully all the information that the mass media give us. People need to wonder; why the headline?, why does the government wants that the information to be public?, why do they tell us those stories?; and then each one must use his or her own sense to assume the information they believe. Because it’s important that the reflection come before the war not after it.
All the wars in the history of the world have had different causes. But always man search to impose something for his/her only benefit. In the last 5.000 years of history, the humanity has only been 900 years at peace, but in these years the man prepared for next conflict. More than 8.000 peace treaties have been signed in the last 35 centuries. From 1945 until the end of the twentieth century, men have fought 140 wars in the entire world with 13 million deaths.
In this scenario the mass media plays a very important role for humanity, because the cause could not justify the means. Many people in the war have died between civilians and soldier from 1.000 A.D. until 2.000, 148 million victims. During the first half of the century 9 of every 10 victims were soldiers; in the second half 9 of the 10 victims of the conflicts were civilians. In this scenario the mass media play an important role in the history of humanity. The responsibility of them and their role in the education of the public opinion is enormous.
The mass media can help to win or lose a war. Giving wrong information about one of the two sides can change the future of the war. Each adversary can start a cruel rumor about his enemy and publishing this information could cost many lives. Like the Second World War, circulated a story about the nazies. It was said that they threw Belgian Babies into the air and them killed them with their bayonets. In the Gulf war was said that the Iraqis turned off incubators from hospitals to kill all babies that were inside them to send machines to Iraq. After several days that the mass media transmitted this information, pictures and videos of the witnesses making those accusations, the american public opinion accepted the war with Iraq.
The Australian journalist, Phillip Knightley, author of several books about language in war times, says in an interview with BBC that every war has the same process of media coverage of the conflict. For him, this process called disinformation process consist of four steps: inevitability of war, demonization of enemy, demonization of the enemy people and they told evil stories of the enemy society.
The first begins when the journalist and war correspondents who say that as conclusion, it is impossible to have a negotiation and that war is inevitable. Immediately and seek to stimulate becomes the demonization of the enemy. The enemy is not a human being, he/she is a demon. In the Gulf war, the mass media said that Saddam Hussein was like Hitler, this comparison made people remember the terror connected with an event from the past. After that, comes demonization of strange customs of that nation. Let us remember the discussions of American government about the women´s position in the Iraqi society. These types of acts prove that the society that is going to attack is not civilized and that they deserve what will happen. And finally, are revealed the atrocities being committed by the enemy and justifying the next war. Though many atrocities happen during one war, it has been proven that a lot of them are false.
According to information for the time Hitler was crazy; Saddam Hussein was a psychopath and Osama Bin Laden has been called this too. Is easy to see in a magazine headline; Bin Laden: inside the mind of a psychopath.
The specialist in Political Studies Sebastian Ochoa, relates wars with hidden economical interests of countries, enterprises or even powerful families. “Every war will always bring more power to those who promote it. There are always interests of powerful people searching for more power, who create different motives to realize a war. These motives are supported and spread thanks to the media that show partial realities or even made up realities to hide true motives. The media has always and will always take sides during a conflict. This happens because the media is usually owned by the same families that promote the wars, hence the intention of using them to create a supportive atmosphere in the general public”.
In conclusion, the participation of mass media in conflicts leaves a great deal to be expected from their function. It’s very important that any person in the world watch very carefully all the information that the mass media give us. People need to wonder; why the headline?, why does the government wants that the information to be public?, why do they tell us those stories?; and then each one must use his or her own sense to assume the information they believe. Because it’s important that the reflection come before the war not after it.
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