Media and Military Relations During the Mexican War

Publisher Marketing: The relationship that developed between the military and the media during the Mexican War is the primary focus of this thesis. This paper looks at the media's coverage of the war from 1846 to 1848, spotlighting a comparison and contrast of the treatment of General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield Scott. Research supports five direct and two indirect relationships that developed between the military and the media during the course of the Mexican War. These relationships illuminate a cooperative partnership, as military leaders and media members recognized shared interests and goals within the context of war. The five direct relationships included the following: (1) the relational impact on political careers of battlefield commanders, (2) the relational impact on reports from the battlefield to government officials in Washington, (3) the relational impact on moral integrity through open criticism of war crimes, (4) the relational impact on military recruiting efforts, and (5) the relational impact on soldier morale. The two indirect relationships between the military and the media were as follows: (1) the relational impact shaped political views of U. S. voters on the subject of war with Mexico, and (2) may have played a role in reducing the length of the war.