One cannot wage war under present conditions without the support

Douglas MacArthur, a man forged in the crucible of two world wars and the long twilight struggle in the Pacific, once declared: “One cannot wage war under present conditions without the support of public opinion, which is tremendously molded by the press and other forms of propaganda.” These words resound with the clarity of experience. They reveal that war is not only fought with rifles, tanks, and ships, but also with words, images, and stories. In the age of modern conflict, armies march not only on supply lines of food and steel, but upon the shifting tides of public opinion, which can sustain a war or bring it to an end.

The origin of this saying is bound to the twentieth century, when warfare ceased to be the concern of kings alone and became the burden of entire peoples. MacArthur, having witnessed the mass mobilizations of World War I and World War II, knew that the loyalty of the citizenry, their willingness to sacrifice sons and daughters, depended on what they believed about the justice and necessity of war. In an era when the press and propaganda machines reached into every home, the shaping of those beliefs was as decisive as the clash of armies. To lose the people’s trust was to lose the war itself.

The meaning of his words is profound. For MacArthur teaches that truth and perception, reality and image, are intertwined in conflict. A general may win victories on the battlefield, but if the public at home sees only defeat or dishonor, those victories may crumble into nothing. Likewise, a faltering campaign may be sustained by stories of heroism and purpose, keeping the nation’s will unbroken. War is not fought in silence—it is narrated, reported, magnified, and judged by those who stand far from the front lines. The press becomes a second battlefield, and propaganda a weapon as potent as artillery.

History bears witness. Consider the Vietnam War, fought decades after MacArthur’s prime. On the ground, American forces won many tactical victories, yet the images broadcast on television—villages burning, soldiers falling, the endless stream of coffins returning home—turned the public against the war. The Tet Offensive of 1968, though a military setback for the Viet Cong, was a psychological victory, for the images of chaos convinced Americans that the war was unwinnable. Here MacArthur’s warning proved prophetic: without the support of public opinion, sustained by belief and trust, the mightiest army falters.

Another example lies in the Second World War, when governments on all sides waged immense propaganda campaigns. In Britain, posters rallied the people to endure the Blitz with slogans like “Keep Calm and Carry On.” In the United States, films, radio, and newspapers bound the people to the cause of defeating fascism. These efforts were not mere decoration—they were vital to sustaining morale in the face of hardship. Leaders like MacArthur saw clearly that battles were fought not only abroad, but also in the minds and hearts of the people at home.

Yet MacArthur’s wisdom extends beyond war. For in our own lives, every great endeavor requires the support of those around us. To lead a movement, to fight for justice, to bring forth change—one must win not only arguments but hearts. And hearts are swayed not merely by reason, but by story, by image, by vision. The lesson is that no great struggle can endure without the faith of the many, and that faith is fragile, easily shaped by the voices that speak the loudest.

The lesson for us, children of tomorrow, is this: guard your mind. Do not let your beliefs be molded blindly by propaganda, nor let your spirit be enslaved by images crafted to stir fear or hatred. Seek truth behind the words of leaders, question what the press tells you, and do not give your support without discernment. At the same time, when you strive for good, learn to speak in ways that inspire, that uplift, that rally others to noble causes. For public opinion is a river that can drown the truth—or carry it to triumph.

Practical wisdom calls for vigilance: read widely, think deeply, and remember always that war and peace are shaped as much by voices as by weapons. MacArthur’s voice thunders across time: no war can be waged without the people’s support, and the people’s support is molded by the stories they are told. Learn this truth, and you will not be deceived. Wield it wisely, and you may help bend the course of history toward peace rather than destruction.