This first full analysis and description of psychological warfare conducted by the United States and British armies against Germany was published in 1949 and has since become a standard reference on World War II propaganda. Its appearance in paperback provides an opportunity for a clear appraisal of this unique campaign and of how it defined the ancient and recurrent problems of psychological warfare to suit the needs of the moment. There are chapters on policy, personnel, media, methods of operation, and effectiveness, as well as reproductions of typical propaganda leaflets, charts, and newspapers used against the Germans. For those who still debate the effects of the Allied unconditional surrender policy on the German people, Dr. Lerner offers discussion from a propagandist's point of view. The book also contains an essay from the British side by Richard H. S. Crossman.
In a new introduction to the book, the author remarks on the importance of the Sykewar campaign for modern warfare, while William E. Griffith summarizes developments in the use of propaganda since World War II--particularly regarding Cold War policies that have necessitated a shift in the focus of psychological warfare from the masses to the elites.