Military-Media Relations and the Gulf War: A Compromise between Vietnam and Grenada

Abstract

This study chronicles and evaluates the evolution of military-media relations to determine whether the Persian Gulf War public affairs policies were a compromise between Vietnam and Grenada policy experiences. It provides new insights into the military-media relationship and formulates a better understanding of the elements that comprise a successful and responsive public affairs program. Discussion includes how the military developed its strategy and how the media responded, and the resulting strategies in covering conflicts of a military nature. Military public affairs efforts in Operations DESERT STORM and DESERT SHIELD are a culmination of lessons learned and their applications in managing the press. The increasing demands placed on the military by the press for freer access, the increasing number of media representatives requesting this access, and the advancements in communications technology experienced in each conflict are all factors that military leaders must address in future military operations planning. How each of these issues were managed or not managed from Vietnam to the Persian Gulf are covered in this study as well as recommendations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA257146

Entities

People

  • Colleen L. Mcguire

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Civil War
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Governments
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military History
  • Military Operations
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Persian Gulf
  • Persian Gulf War
  • Second World War
  • Students
  • Vietnam War
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Economics
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies