Opportunity Lost. Public Affairs, Information Operations, and the Air War against Serbia

Abstract

The wartime communique - a government's version of how a conflict is progressing--is a feature almost as old as war itself. In this article, Major Pounder examines the control and release of military information to the public during the air war against Serbia. He concludes that, in spite of the increased attention we have placed on information operations, the United States and NATO were ill prepared to win the "media war" (the competition for press attention, credibility, and-ultimately-sympathy for one side's views). These failures represented shortcomings in doctrine, organization, and training and, to a certain extent, a cultural gap between the public-affairs officer and the "information warrior." He offers recommendations for fighting and winning the public-information campaign that is certain to accompany the next war.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2000
Accession Number
ADA523103

Entities

People

  • Gary Pounder

Organizations

  • Air and Space Power Journal

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Bombing
  • Computers
  • Europe
  • Governments
  • Information Operations
  • Information Warfare
  • Internet
  • Military History
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • New York
  • Security
  • Training
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Archaeological Resource Survey
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Political Science/ International Relations/ European Studies