During World War II, the civilian Office of Censorship supervised a huge and surprisingly successful program of news management: the voluntary self-censorship of the American press. In January 1942, censorship codebooks were distributed to all American newspapers, magazines, and radio stations with the request that journalists adhere to the guidelines within. Remarkably, over the course of the war no print journalist, and only one radio journalist, ever deliberately violated the censorship code after having been made aware of it and understanding its intent. Secrets of Victory examines the World War II censorship program and analyzes the reasons for its success. Using archival sources, including the Office of Censorship's own records, Michael Sweeney traces the development of news media censorship from a pressing necessity after the attack on Pearl Harbor to the centralized yet efficient bureaucracy that persuaded thousands of journalists to censor themselves for the sake of national security. At the heart of this often dramatic story is the Office of Censorship's director Byron Price. A former reporter himself, Price relied on cooperation with--rather than coercion of--American journalists in his fight to safeguard the nation's secrets.

Secrets of Victory: The Office of Censorship and the American Press and Radio in World War II

History

Sweeney, Michael S.

Americas

Univ of North Carolina Pr

The University of North Carolina Press

Secrets of Victory

Politics & Social Sciences

Politics & Government

University of North Carolina Press

Because news is a weapon of war--affecting public opinion, troop morale, even strategy--for more than a century America's wartime officials have sought to control or influence the press, most recently by "embedding" reporters within military units in Iraq. This second front, where press freedom and military imperatives often do battle, is the territory explored in The Military and the Press, a history of how press-military relations have evolved during the twentieth and twenty-first century in response to the demands of politics, economics, technology, and legal and social forces. Author Michael S. Sweeney takes a chronological approach, considering freedoms and restraints such as the First Amendment, court decisions, and government and military directives that have affected the press during World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the more recent conflicts. He explores the ongoing themes of wartime censorship and propaganda, as well as operational security in the battle zone. In chapters addressing the recent shift in military strategy in dealing with the press, Sweeney discusses new forms of control--from embedding journalists and discouraging unaccredited "unilaterals" to developing the news agenda through a barrage of briefings, sound bites, and visuals and appeals to patriotism that border on domestic propaganda. With profiles of a few specific journalists--from Richard Harding Davis covering the Spanish-American War to Christiane Amanpour reporting from the conflicts in Bosnia and Iraq--this deft blend of journalistic history and analysis should serve as a call-to-arms to a public not always well served by a military-press standoff.

The Military and the Press: An Uneasy Truce (Medill Visions Of The American Press)

Military

Northwestern University Press

"Lost Boy" John Bul Dau’s harrowing experience surviving the brutal horrors of Sudanese civil war and his adjustment to life in modern America is chronicled in this inspiring memoir and featured in an award-winning documentary film of the same name. Movingly written, the book traces Dau’s journey through hunger, exhaustion, terror, and violence as he fled his homeland, dodging ambushes, massacres and attacks by wild animals. His tortuous, 14-year journey began in 1987, when he was just 13, and took him on a 1,000-mile walk, barefoot, to Ethiopia, back to Sudan, then to a refugee camp in Kenya, where he lived with thousands of other Lost Boys. In 2001, at the age of 27, he immigrated to the United States. With touching humor, Dau recounts the shock of his tribal culture colliding with life in America. He shares the joy of reuniting with his family and the challenges of making a new life for himself while never forgetting the other Lost Boys he left behind.

God Grew Tired of Us: A Memoir

Dau, John Bul

Religion & Spirituality

National Geographic

Americans have always been passionately bound to the land: It has shaped our history, our ideas, and our art. In Last Unspoiled Place, the magnificent confines of Logan Canyon, Utah, prove the perfect landscape for exploring these beliefs. In brilliant photographs and vivid anecdotes that range from poignant to exhilarating to hilarious, author Michael Sweeney takes us on an unforgettable tour through the canyon’s unsullied terrain. As he marks the 41 miles of the national scenic byway that courses through, he reveals Logan’s vivid past and astonishing natural historyas well as its closely kept secrets. Anecdotes range from bull snakes to bank robbers, from a legendary witch to the curse of "green invaders," and from the first known human inhabitantsthe northwestern Shoshoneto current-day characters such as snowboarders, beekeepers, botanists, and whitewater hounds. In the National Geographic tradition, Last Unspoiled Place is richly illustrated with scores of photographsboth current and historicthat capture the beauty of Logan Canyon and the surrounding Cache Valley. Filled with excitement and brimming with eloquent stories, more than a trip through a canyon, this book is a natural choice for Father’s Day and other gift-giving occasions. Eye-catching and affordable, it will grab the attention of audiences interested in adventure, travel, wilderness, history, and the American West.`

Last Unspoiled Place: Exploring Utah's Logan Canyon

Arts & Photography

Photography & Video

Following in the paw prints of the successful first DogTown book, companion to the hit show on the National Geographic Channel, Dog Tips from Dogtown is the pet owner's practical guide to building a healthy, happy relationship with a dog. Relying on the unparalleled expertise of the trainers at the Best Friends Animal Society, this manual shows, with step-by-step illustrations, how to apply the power of positive reinforcement to train a pet. From adoption tips to canine communication lessons and training strategies that make a regimen fun for everyone, Dog Tips from DogTown is a complete guide to the tried and true methods that work miracles every day at the Best Friends Animal Society.

Dog Tips From DogTown: A Relationship Manual for You and Your Dog

Best Friends Animal Society Trainers

Reference

National Geographic presents a comprehensive guide to fighting mental decline. With cutting-edge neuroscience, information about Alzheimer's, fascinating case studies, and tips to fight brain aging symptoms such as slower mental acuity and "senior moments," this smart, engaging guide will help keep your memory sharp and your mind active. Fun, age-defying exercises--from body stretches to word games to foods that help you think--help the brain perform at its best, just like exercising does for other parts of the body. Leading memory loss expert Cynthia R. Green, PhD, and eminent science writer Michael Sweeney have created a book both informational and practical that gives readers everything they need to know about the care and feeding of one of the body's most important organs: the brain.

Your Best Brain Ever: A Complete Guide and Workout

Green, Cynthia R.

This book examines the journalistic coverage and challenges during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05, what some have called World War Zero. The authors explore how Japan delayed and regulated correspondents so they could do no harm to the nation's ambitions at home or abroad and implemented methods of shaping the news. They argue Japan helped to shape the modern world of journalism by creating and packaging "truth."

Journalism and the Russo-Japanese War: The End of the Golden Age of Combat Correspondence

Roelsgaard, Natascha Toft

Asia

Lexington Books

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Books by Sweeney, Michael S.