Military Censorship

Made in 1946, "Military Censorship" attempts to explain the need for censorship of communications by the U.S. Army in time of conflict. The film looks at the defensive measures used during WWII, which included censorship of mail and the withholding of information from the press. At mark 0:43 the film begins with images of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United states of America. This has form the way of life today conceived by freedom. Freedom of life, freedom to move at will, freedom to know the truth and to speak it, freedom to learn the truth and to speak it, the sum of all these freedom means America. The Constitution of the United States is seen at mark 1:35. This means the law of the land. Any invasion of the right of freedom of expression is contrary to the fundamentals of America democracy and justified as only as a defensive measure when the way of life is in the balance as seen at mark 2:12. But as such times America defend itself with every means at their disposure. Within an hour, after attacks censorship was created as a defensive measure as seen at mark 2:35. They help protect American freedoms. At mark 2:45 is the headquarters of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the USA -- the White House. The words of FDR are heard at mark 2:55. He explains how censorship is essential. At mark 3:30, new recruits are indoctrinated about censorship and how to withhold information. The speaker explains based on a letter at mark 4:55, which leaks out military information in his writing carelessly. The objective of military censorship is to prevent the willful disclosure of information which will affect US and its allies as seen at mark 5:50. This is an enormous task, while oversea, soldiers write countless of letters as seen at mark 6:15. Military censorships will be called upon to go through all these letters day after day to go through. At mark 6:42, he explains on how it is necessary to invade the privacy of mails during wartime. Keeping military intel in times of war is as vital to the enemy on tangible war materials. At mark 7:40, because of the element of surprise a great ship is given a minimum support. The attacking striking force is launched and due to the secrecy and element of surprise, they made it and mission is successful at mark 9:00. The bombing in this attack brings about a terrible awareness of this defeat at mark 9:12. After each mission, each plane returns back to the airbases without any ambush The requirements for any successful military operation are seen at mark 9:40; a plan, tools to carry out the plan and an absolute blockade of military information. At mark 10:05, a letter is intercepted containing locations of the airbase. The deciding factor between victory and defeat may very well lie on a single intercepted letter. The writer of a letter is responsible for it content. The consequence of breaking this is severe as seen at mark 10:55. Every one must become a self sensor. At mark 11:20 is a case on a successful military operation due to information blockade from the enemy played a vital role. At mark 11:40 is another case on the enemy territory, the black beach. Specially trained personnel are sent to get information here. At mark 12:08 is the map room. Intelligence report is been gathered here. They plan on the proceeding and the element of surprise. At mark 13:45, a general is seen conversing with a lady. At mark 14:20, the young lady is seen working on her typewriter in an office as an alarm is sounded, hence she left all that she is doing. She left information on the military intel on a raid mission. Fragments of military information leaked here caused their defeat at mark 15:22. Information in enemy hands destroyed them as seen at mark 15:50. What should have become a successful landing became a death trap. At mark 16:30, a soldier is seen telling the story of what happened. At mark 17:05 is a cemetry for the lost heroes. Military information must be kept out of the letters written as seen at mark 17:25. Write about anything you chose except about military intel as seen at mark 18:00. At mark 18:35, the military men are seen onboard their ship. Here is the constitution of the US at mark 19:00. Do your fight to give the America citizens a best way of life. At mark.the film begins with images of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United states of America. This has form the way of life today conceived by freedom. Freedom of life, freedom to move at will, freedom to know the truth and to speak it, freedom to learn the truth and to speak it, the sum of all these freedom means America. The Constitution of the United States is seen at mark . This means the law of the land. Any invasion of the right of freedom of expression is contrary to the fundamentals of America democracy and justified as only as a defensive measure when the way of life is in the balance as seen at mark . But as such times America defend itself with every means at their disposure. Within an hour, after attacks censorship was created as a defensive measure as seen at mark . They help protect American freedoms. At mark is the headquarters of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the USA -- the White House. The words of FDR are heard at mark . He explains how censorship is essential. 0:43 At mark.new recruits are indoctrinated about censorship and how to withhold information. The speaker explains based on a letter at mark , which leaks out military information in his writing carelessly. The objective of military censorship is to prevent the willful disclosure of information which will affect US and its allies as seen at mark . This is an enormous task, while oversea, soldiers write countless of letters as seen at mark . Military censorships will be called upon to go through all these letters day after day to go through. At mark , he explains on how it is necessary to invade the privacy of mails during wartime. Keeping military intel in times of war is as vital to the enemy on tangible war materials. At mark , because of the element of surprise a great ship is given a minimum support. The attacking striking force is launched and due to the secrecy and element of surprise, they made it and mission is successful at mark . The bombing in this attack brings about a terrible awareness of this defeat at mark . After each mission, each plane returns back to the airbases without any ambush 3:30 The requirements for any successful military operation are seen at mark.a plan, tools to carry out the plan and an absolute blockade of military information. At mark , a letter is intercepted containing locations of the airbase. The deciding factor between victory and defeat may very well lie on a single intercepted letter. The writer of a letter is responsible for it content. The consequence of breaking this is severe as seen at mark . Every one must become a self sensor. At mark is a case on a successful military operation due to information blockade from the enemy played a vital role. At mark is another case on the enemy territory, the black beach. Specially trained personnel are sent to get information here. At mark is the map room. Intelligence report is been gathered here. They plan on the proceeding and the element of surprise. At mark , a general is seen conversing with a lady. At mark , the young lady is seen working on her typewriter in an office as an alarm is sounded, hence she left all that she is doing. She left information on the military intel on a raid mission. Fragments of military information leaked here caused their defeat at mark . Information in enemy hands destroyed them as seen at mark . What should have become a successful landing became a death trap. At mark , a soldier is seen telling the story of what happened. At mark is a cemetry for the lost heroes. Military information must be kept out of the letters written as seen at mark . Write about anything you chose except about military intel as seen at mark . 9:40 At mark.the military men are seen onboard their ship. Here is the constitution of the US at mark . Do your fight to give the America citizens a best way of life. 18:35

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Transcription

you from this bold declaration and this farsighted plan evolved the most envied way of life in the world today a way of life conceived in Liberty and identified by freedoms freedom of religion freedom to choose and follow a way of life without domination or regimentation freedom to assemble peaceably and select the men who will be given the privilege of governing freedom to move at will freedom to know the truth and to print it freedom to learn the truth and to speak it the sum of all these freedoms means America the Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the land guaranteeing to each of its citizens certain inalienable rights among them the freedom of speech any invasion of the right of free expression is contrary to the fundamentals of American democracy and is justified only as a defensive measure when survival of the American Way of life is in the balance but at such times America defends herself with every means at her disposal within one hour after the attack on Pearl Harbor censorship control over cable and radio communications was placed into effect as a defensive measure censorship creates protective walls around our homeland and dependencies walls which save American lives and help protect imperiled American freedoms headquarters of the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the United States these are the words of one great wartime leader he said all Americans abhor censorship as they abhor war but the experience of this and of all other nations has demonstrated that censorship is essential in wartime it is necessary to the national security that information which might be of aid to the enemy be scrupulously withheld at the source you are one of the principal sources of military information while the United States is at war your personal communications will be subject to censorship control this control will begin when you in train for the port of embarkation and will continue while you are at the port of embarkation and while enroute to and at your overseas theater it will remain in effect until you return to the United States or the war ends whichever happens first because you are members of the military every one of you will come into possession of information concerning such things as troop strength composition and movement and other vital information which would help the enemy destroyers if it were known to him if you reveal such information deliberately you will be a traitor to your country and will be dealt with accordingly if you reveal it unintentionally but hardly our country will be just as great what is the difference between a paid enemy agent and a faultless young man writing a death warrant for himself and his crewmates the only difference is one of intent the catastrophe would be the same now take this letter for instance dear mother I have to hurry I've just got time for one last letter we shove off sometime between now and midnight I'll sure be relieved when we get where we're going we have 7 million eight hundred thousand gallons of aviation gasoline aboard seven gallons of gas who could be so down you doubt that anyone could be so careless well gentlemen this information with just one of the many items stopped by the censorship wall during World War two the objective of military censorship is to prevent the inadvertent or willful disclosure of information which would harm the United States and her allies to examine the correspondence of the personnel of the Armed Forces is an enormous task while overseas the average soldier writes three-and-a-half letters a week multiply this by 10 million men 26 letters to be examined by military sensors every time the clock ticks more than 200,000 letters every hour day after day military censorship may be called upon to control a number of letters as great as the population of the entire Dominion of Canada because of the vast potential harm inherited almost 2 billion letters a year it is necessary to invade the privacy of your mail during wartime in search of contraband information every one of you should form the habit of blockading the strategic war material i'm referring to military information military information though intangible is of vital war material keeping it from the enemy is as vital to victory as any of the tangible war materials oil gasoline or munitions but unfortunately the importance of keeping military information out of personal communications is not sufficiently recognized by some of us let's examine a few case histories because of the paramount importance of surprise this great ship has been given only a minimum escort her objective is to carry our offensive into the very heart of the enemy's homeland her principal protection lies in the secrecy which surrounds her movements tonight she will come within striking distance the attacking force is launched the airmen are on their own the carrier and her escort have withdrawn a hostile land to be forced down here will mean death or worse but they'll make it provided the security wall has not leaked mission accomplished with complete tactical surprise the bombing of this city brings with it a terrible awareness of impending defeat to the enemy after completing its mission each plane will find its way to specially prepared air bases what lies ahead a haven or an ambush that depends upon the effectiveness of the security wall what are the essential requirements for the success of any military operation a plan men and materials to carry out the plan and an absolute blockade of military information let it be said to the credit of the thousands of men who came into possession of information about this undertaking because of their participation in it that only one man mentioned it in his correspondence but that one letter consider the terrible consequence of that one letter in enemy hands it contained information revealing the exact location of the island air base sergeant get Tennyson here on the tub the deciding factor between victory and defeat and very well lie in the pages of one intercepted letters the writer of a letter is responsible for its contents the penalty for premeditated and willful disclosure of military information is severe the violator may be sentenced to as much as five years imprisonment at hard labor made to forfeit all pay and allowances and finally be dishonorably discharged from the service every one of you must become a self-censor you have been looking at a case history of a successful military operation in which the blockade of information from the enemy played a vital part now let's look at another case this is enemy territory on our maps this Shore is labeled black beach how strongly is a defendant we must find out we intend to land here specially trained personnel often are called upon to penetrate enemy territory to get this information for on it depends the success or failure of all major operations for this reason up-to-the-minute reports are constantly being supplied by military intelligence and added to our operation plans intelligence reports that the approach to black beach is protected by a minefield apparently the enemy is relying mainly on this minefield for his defense also the absence of permanent or strong fortifications indicates that he does not expect operations in this area therefore we will make our landing along this lightly defended coastline and the area behind it like all military operations the success of the landing depends upon surprise we will use shallow-draft landing vessels and we'll ride in over those mines we will proceed inland rapidly according to plan according to present planning d-day will be between 20 and 24 may the 5th division will spearhead the operation why so pensive general I'm wrestling with my conscience your brother jimmys in the 5th division is Nick yes he is why look Helen you're a sensible girl or I wouldn't plan on marrying you I found out something today now for heaven's sake keep that pretty mouth of yours shut death division cedarville between 20 and 24 may fragments of military information what does the enemy need to destroy this blue atilla just one thing information that the landy will be made at a certain place at a certain time our planning was based on reports that this area was likely defended what caused the enemy to strengthen his fortifications at this crucial moment information information which passed through the blockade what is destroying these American lives and American equipment strategic war materiel information in enemy hands what should have been a successful landing and an almost unopposed advance became a costly operation rough going over there what with corporal rough it was murder kind of leadership have we got any way he is right into a death trap kind of brains of they got my my brother Jimmy how did it happen I don't know last time I saw him we hit the beach all hell broke loose I think we better go Helen their heroes to to the enemy the aggressor would be glad to give each of them a medal for their performance yes they're heroes but not like one of these military information must be kept out of the letters you write do this yourself understanding and realizing the importance of censoring your own letters now this is a small request to make and as a negligent man indeed will not comply wholeheartedly write about anything you choose except about military matters don't discuss the character and movement of United States or allied forces within or without the Continental limits of the United States their location identity composition equipment or strength don't discuss their assembly for embarkation actual embarkation routes schedules or destination don't discuss the identity location or movement of United States or Allied aircraft or vessels their cargo ports of arrival or departure don't discuss the details of convoy formation the existence of mine fields or harbor defenses ships or aircraft under construction prospective dates of completion or launchings proud new ship what is her destiny a long career in the service of her country or destruction and burial at sea a few wrong words will sinker be sure that you do not say or write those words these are your countrymen where are they going to victory or to annihilation on some hostile Shore words as well as bullets will kill these men don't you supply the ammunition the objective of our Constitution the aim of our government the purpose of our armed services is to secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and our children yours and mine do your part to preserve the liberties which make up the American Way of life it's a good life the best in the world you

Sources

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