The Political Army: How the U.S. Military Learned to Manage the Media and Public Opinion

Winner, 2026 Giueseppe Caforio ERGOMAS Award for Best Book, European Research Group on Military and Society

Winner, 2025 Choice Outstanding Academic Title

Since World War II, the U.S. military has taken a keen interest in shaping press coverage and, through it, public perception and democratic oversight of the armed forces. After misjudging the domestic political landscape during the Vietnam War, Army leaders embraced media management, recognizing that control over information had become cent...