Psychology of War in \"Acts of War\"

¶ … Psychology of War in "Acts of War" by Richard Holmes

In the book "Acts of War" by Richard Holmes, the theme of war psychology is one of the primary topics that are discussed as it applies to information dissemination and developing the soldiers' self-confidence and psyche for the war. Holmes discusses how proper and selective information dissemination inside and outside the military institution is crucial for the proper development of the nation and military's morale and confidence especially during war time. In the issue of selective information dissemination, news that reach the public must be carefully crafted and selected in order to create the image that the American military are handling the conflict at hand satisfactorily. Holmes presents a comparative study of how news and reports about events and actions in the battlefield are reported. News and reports are often delivered consisting of vague words and military jargon such as "failed to secure," "casualties," and "clearing" as words and phrases substituted to losing the war, deaths, and war killings. Addressing these news in a vague manner helps decrease the degree of violence and worry that the public may have after hearing the news about the state of war America is currently involved in. In addition to proper information dissemination, Holmes also links proper public information dissemination as an essential tool in order to increase the soldiers' psyche and confidence in the battlefield. Thus, by spreading the news that Americans are winning the war, soldiers are able to fight the war believing that they are indeed winning, that their efforts to dedicate their lives for their country did not fail. "Acts of War" is an informative book about the methods applied in the military institution about dealing with events and outcomes that happens to the military during and after the war or conflict.