The morale and fighting will are the psychological pillar of enemy's military strength. Once these mental factors are eroded or broken up, the enemy will completely lose its fighting potential. Therefore, the two sides in war would use everything possible to undermine the morale of the opposing troops and it has become an important strategy, and the news media has a very important role to play in this respect.

　　During the First World War, Lord Northcliffe, the founder of the "Daily Mail" and "Daily Mirror", made full use of propaganda means under his control, such as leaflets and newspapers, to launch uninterrupted public opinion offensive against German army.

　　In a sense, the impact of these leaflets far surpassed that of artillery shells. The last war bulletin of German's 18th Group Army read: "we are routed by the enemy not on the battlefield in hand-to-hand bayonet fighting, but by a battle front created by enemy's leaflets. It is the bad news printed on inferior papers that has greatly debilitated us."

　　Man has a keen sense of and cognitive ability to the objective environment. The objective things stimulate man's brain through sense organs, producing the feelings of pleasure, anger, sorrow, and joy, and enabling man to experience the sweets and the bitters of life. At the same time man's psychological endurance ability has been gradually built up. Soldiers may often experience spiritual shock and psychological panic on the battlefield. During the First World War, the U.K. and France made full use of mass media to shake the conviction, fighting will, morale and attitude of enemy troops, which effectively sapped the morale of enemy forces.

　　By Tao Yu

　　(June 22, PLA Daily)