Public Opinion — Chapter II Censorship and Privacy

1. 1. During the Battle of Verdun, French generals edited war communiqués to shape public perception, even fabricating details when they lacked information.
2. 2. The French command systematically exaggerated German casualties to reinforce the attrition strategy, using invented statistics from Major Cointet's bureau.
3. 3. Propaganda requires a barrier between the public and the event, limiting direct access so a pseudo-environment can be created.
4. 4. The distance between public opinion and the actual event is often vast, and questioning the sources of one's facts is a protective exercise.