Free Speech and Wartime

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Free Speech During Wartime Throughout American history, Americans has played a key part in the perseverance of the freedom of speech during times when the United States has been involved in wars. There have been incidents where American citizens have criticized our government and there have been time when American citizens have supported our government. America is no different from any other nation when it comes to this. However, a failure to keep popular opinion inline with the ways the government acts during any wartime effort. Through public opinion, the Internet, or the media, the liberties of free speech during wartime will always be a concern to the national security. Since the Civil War, freedom of speech has been expressed in many ways during wartime; whether it was delivered through propaganda, social web sites, movies, music, speeches, or protests, each one of them provided both negative and positive results. Free speech can either damage the national security, or it can help it based on the view of the person, or persons, who are delivering it. Propaganda has been used to paint the picture of what the American government wants. The media has been used to try to convince the public the will of the government. The media has a large impact on the freedom of free speech. The government attempts to control what the media reports by carefully releasing press releases and making reporters subject to security clearances before they are allowed in war zones. In fact, the Espionage Act of 1917 allows the President to have the final authority to determine whether the press could publish information about the conduct of the war. One example of the media promoting wartime was during the 1800’s when the yellow journalist competed against each other in order to get the best stories during the war between Spain and Cuba erupted. Reporters were sent to
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