Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

West Point’s student

■ Lvzheng Tao

the U.S. is one of what army?

For the vast majority of people who had any contact with the U.S. military, the film, television, newspapers, the Internet tells us that the U.S. military is like this –

we users even see the U.S. military shining team spirit and beauty of humanity, from the Hollywood blockbuster “Saving Private Ryan” feel from the top U.S. military officer in the media before talking about the professionalism and humorous atmosphere, visited the United States Department of Defense Web site sigh, this is the world’s most open self-confidence, the most transparent and delicate official defense information platform.

but people may not know, all these positive upward behind the military image, has the support of U.S. military mechanism, system operation as Shape the global public “justice” and “powerful” and “humane” military image is an important part of the overall U.S. defense strategy, especially in the information era of globalization, the U.S. military has even more positive image of the military as part of its comprehensive combat effectiveness an important growth point.

image is power

the “soft power” is an important theoretical basis for U.S. military Image. Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt once said: “carry a big stick soft-spoken, you can go further.” After the Cold War, Joseph Nye’s “soft power” thesis is sweeping the world, its core ideas is, by values, a positive image to attract the power to influence the mind of the target public, more than the mandatory force of the use of economic, military means conducive to the achievement of strategic objectives.

U.S. military believes that relying solely on military superiority and the action itself “justice” does not guarantee that the strategic goal to maximize the benefits, the military must be able to use “soft power” must be shaped through the media and interpersonal communication a variety of ways to build a lasting positive image of the U.S., the image is power.

on the one hand, by showing the powerful U.S. military can rival the formation of strategic deterrence, thereby having the effect of “preventive defense”; the other hand, by showing justice and close, you can win the goal audience, the psychological identity of the U.S. doubled military effect, and be able to serve the national strategy at a deeper level.

, U.S. Department of Defense submitted to Congress, the National Defense Commission a written report on the U.S. military in overseas strategic communications. The report lists four mission of the U.S. Strategic Communications, one of which is to shape a positive image of the United States and the U.S. military overseas, to enhance its credibility and legitimacy.

The U.S. military also has established the Public Affairs department is responsible for its military image building. In the design of the system, the U.S. Department of Defense has a dedicated Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, and with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense. The assistant secretary of defense is the Department of Defense’s chief spokesman, to grasp the tone of the U.S. external opinion. His office under the jurisdiction of the Community Relations Council, the Defense Information Bureau, Planning Bureau and the U.S. Army Information Bureau, the overall design and the general promotion of the image of the U.S. military from within the U.S. military relations, community relations and media relations at three levels, respectively.

the U.S. military’s various services and the Joint Command and subordinate units also have a corresponding public affairs department. In 2011, the U.S. military to create a new Defense Media Authority is responsible for all media within the U.S. military resources management and scheduling in order to better integration and planning of media in a variety of military, maximum performance to play a positive image capabilities.

U.S. military public affairs department is divided into two dimensions of the American public and the international public in shaping military image. Currently, the department to the international public to shape U.S. image of the right weight is increasing, due to the era of globalization of information spillovers, the boundary between the two dimensions are also increasingly showing a vague trend.

three-dimensional multi-dimensional construct

U.S. self-image shape is by no means remain vague slogans declared mediated, but the good integration of the use of various resources and opportunities to a comprehensive, multi-dimensional, three-dimensional approach to integrated build Specifically, the following aspects.

First, the good use of mass media. U.S. military action rules, “on the Joint Public Affairs (media) impact evaluation of the United States and the U.S. allies and international opinion, directly affecting the success or failure of the military alliance of the United States and its allies, the level of war costs. At the same time, the international spread of American media, but also to spread a positive image to the world for the U.S. military provides an important opportunity.

U.S. military itself has a large media contingent, the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, under the command of more than 300 radio and television stations, over 1850 kinds of publications, the various military services and the Joint Command also has its own The public website, these are the U.S. forces shaping the image directly to the international and domestic public media platform.

especially commendable is the site of the U.S. Department of Defense, information-rich website, is committed to win the goodwill and recognition of the international community about the U.S. international peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and other overseas activities information, but also for deterrence type of information highlight the U.S. military’s powerful advanced weapons and equipment, operational plans, the two go hand in hand.

in social media, the U.S. military usually use military information to the main monopolistic characteristics, through a strong information release system, both to demonstrate transparency and confidence, and firmly grasp the agenda of the media guide media to describe the U.S. image in accordance with their own set. U.S. military spokesman as the most direct U.S. military spokesman for the image, large are carefully selected by well-trained professionals, they tend to conquer the media can be a good business literacy.

the U.S. “Time” magazine has lamented the performance of the U.S. military spokesman during the Gulf War: “a very amazing professional performance … For example, the good performance of the senior officers in front of the TV – clever, frankly, elegant, these people show the characteristics of a new generation of top military leaders. They are not just able to grasp the overall own professional, but also show their talents and wisdom in politics and life skills, public relations wit, not to mention. “

The U.S. military also attached particular importance to the building of the contingent of opinion leaders, these opinion leaders for the global public “authoritative” information, the definition of the U.S. image. Studies have shown that the U.S. Defense Department has recruited a large number of senior retired generals and military academic experts active in the various major media, is conducive for the production of a good image of the U.S. public opinion and shape the military effectiveness.

the U.S. are usually first in various ways to create these “experts” fame, to improve the public’s faith in the “expert” views, and then spending huge sums to assist them to create media opportunities and contacts. In 2008, the New York Times has revealed the Pentagon insider to buy off TV commentator. This report disclosed that the Pentagon for manufacturing in favor of public opinion of the military, once disclose the insider information, contact the senior military officers in return for, and authorized a number of military analysts on television media as a commentator for the military to speak.

the end of 2006, the U.S. military is announced the formation of “media warfare units. The force fierce battle on the Internet, and network warfare units, they do not bear the hackers task, but a commitment to publish information on the network to establish a positive image for the U.S. military action and monitor the media of the world’s major countries information on U.S. public opinion is not conducive to the implementation of effective counter-attack, control the spread of negative effects.

embedded entertainment platforms. Unlike news reports, movies, video games and other forms of entertainment to the public loved the way affect the audience the concept of trace.

a long time, the international film Holy Land of Hollywood and the Pentagon are inextricably linked. When the relish of the U.S. image of the classic Hollywood blockbusters, but may not know, these deep-rooted American Movies mostly Hollywood and the Pentagon’s joint effort to build the image film.

U.S. Department of Defense Public Affairs Assistant Office has established a Special Assistant to the entertainment media, specifically responsible for coordination of the military and the film to shoot movies, television programs, documentaries, music videos, commercials, CD-ROM games and other audio-visual products related matters. In addition, the U.S. military services also has a special office in the headquarters of Los Angeles, Hollywood processing to assist the shooting affairs.

Pentagon and Hollywood mode what they want through a win-win and mutually beneficial. On one hand, the U.S. military with the help of Hollywood can affect the global image charm to the story the way to the global dissemination of positive information about the U.S. military services to the U.S. image strategy; the other hand, the military and war films is one of Hollywood’s “meat and potatoes “Hollywood needs the U.S. military has a monopoly of weapons and equipment, military site, as well as professional military advisors.

Pentagon will Hollywood film and television scripts to assist in the application to rigorous validation, and suggest modifications in accordance with their own expectations to show the U.S. image to be deleted is not conducive to the part of the U.S. image, if the film side fails to comply with the U.S. act on the advice, the assistance of the U.S. military is not. Entertainment media of Defense Special Assistant to Philip Stroop has sharply pointed out: “all the negative portrayal of military videos are not feasible for us.”

in “Transformers 2″ “The U.S. military always stand to defend the world’s front-line” image vividly on screen. To this end, the Pentagon, the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to the crew, as well as two A-10 fighter jets, six F-16 fighters, 10 armored Hummer sport utility vehicle and two M1A2 tanks, and even including John Stein Nice USS. Opinion lamenting the generous assistance provided by the Pentagon for the crew to handle even a small-scale war.

military games are an integral part of the U.S. image building tool box. “Delta Force”, “blitzkrieg”, “U.S. Army” video game popular around the world has a huge market among young people. These war games, the U.S. military as the lead role of binding to the concept of “justice” of U.S. military operations, the team spirit of the U.S. military, U.S. military strength of the powerful covert infiltration to the players, imperceptibly shaping the players on the U.S. emotional awareness.

“U.S. Army” game’s official website, outspoken players outside the United States Description: “We want the world to know that the U.S. military is powerful.” U.S. scholars have also pointed out: “U.S. Army” propaganda of the U.S. the ethos of the Army and to promote rationality and legitimacy of U.S. foreign policy. “

third, with military and diplomatic. Broad military diplomacy, including military leaders, military group visits, military aid and other foreign military activities. U.S. military every time foreign military exchanges as an opportunity to show a good image.

former U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry has pointed out that military exchanges with the link between the development of military personnel, and the U.S. position point of view and shape the views of foreign military officers, in order to receive “preventive defense “effect. Some people even think the U.S. the world’s top five theater commanders in their area of ??responsibility is even greater than in the relevant countries, the U.S. ambassador influence, this influence is largely dependent on U.S. forces in the host country’s foreign relations establish a positive, trustworthy image.

spotlight gathered international security conference, U.S. military officials will also take steps to assume the responsibilities of the spokesperson, the shape and convey a positive image of the U.S. military. For example, the International Maritime Security Conference in 2009, when military representatives also read out law-abiding, “It is boring,” official documents “stiff” dialogue, Renmei Jun Pacific Command Commander Willard “surprise” a multimedia piece and humorous commentary to show why the U.S. Navy a “force for good”, and its outstanding performance to win the praise of the officials participating in the various media.

international peacekeeping and humanitarian aid by the U.S. military as to win the local people and the international community identity, and planted the seeds of “goodwill” an excellent opportunity. In the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the U.S. Pacific Command, quickly respond to a large number of troops sent to the tsunami-hit areas to provide large-scale emergency assistance.

U.S. military scholars once the South headquarters, for example, that the south headquarters in South America, implementation of health care-related tasks, to help poor children, children are vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease. The headquarters of the South undoubtedly enhance and the area of ??responsibility the U.S. image in the hearts of local people. “

harvest conceal his limitations

the U.S. multi-dimensional three-dimensional integrated build, the U.S. image The construction has made considerable gains. According to a 2010 Gallup poll, people in the United States, people in major social institutions or bodies, the army gave the highest trust, 76 percent of Americans said that the military holds a positive impression or have confidence.

for international public, powerful and professional of the U.S. military has also been popular, most people believe that the U.S. is one of the world’s most combat troops. “Marines”, “West Point”, etc., are also world-wide, has a huge brand.

, however we still need to see that the external building structural contradiction between the value of the kernel, the U.S. military’s “image projects” is always hard to break its own limitations.

First of all, the U.S. military strategy of extraversion and expansion, which determines its nature is still a distinct safeguard U.S. national interests and to consolidate its global hegemony of the “big stick” shape of the military image However, a pragmatic strategy in order to make this “stick” to use more handy. This military image of the tool of the mind, destined to the U.S. military’s “face” and “lining” difficult to unify.

Second, the United States have always regarded himself as the banner of the development of world civilization, wishful thinking to themselves Redeemer, a lack of understanding and respect for the non-Western civilizations. This arrogant and overbearing culture of the gene has an important influence on the behavior of the U.S. military.

2003, the media exposed the existence of large-scale incidents of prisoner abuse in Iraq and behavior “extremely despicable and inhuman”. 2011, a survey report of the United Nations, the U.S. military in Afghanistan, there are also incidents of prisoner abuse “appalling” and “systematic”. 2012, the U.S. military in Afghanistan burned insulting the Koran incident has aroused protests and indignation of Muslims around the world. These events so that the offset of the U.S. military’s image of the spectrum to the “evil”, they reflect the cultural genes of the United States, but also makes the U.S. military’s “image projects” so far been ineffective. ★

(of units: a certain unit of the General Political Department)

. OtherContent_01 p {line-height: 23px; margin: 0px;} the

reports:

analysts said woven in China attack the U.S. military in the Asia Pacific network vaguely molding

A soldier shot and killed U.S. troops after the switch to the Taliban by the hero welcome

media said the U.S. military the recent purchase of the precise satellite images of the South China Sea

the U.S. military deliberately leaked China Air Sea Battle, plan to intimidate China

share: