Friday, September 5, 2025

The Ways of Bernays - 4

Don't blame the messenger

I have mentioned at least twice here on Dredd Blog, since the year 2011, that the US. Department of Defense was originally The War Department, or The Department of War:

"Propaganda became one of the most peddled commodities ever, following the work of 'the father of spin' Edward Bernays, who literally wrote the book entitled 'Propaganda' (A Closer Look At MOMCOM's DNA - 4). 

His clientele included some major players such as 'The War Department', which he convinced to change its name to 'The Defense Department'. "  (Seaports With Sea Level Change - 15).

.....

"Bernays had a commercial business with a well-known client, "The War Department"; a client that he convinced to change its name to "The Defense Department"." (The Ways of Bernays - 3)

All hail the father of spin:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth teased a new name for the Department of Defense amid word from the White House that President Donald Trump is set to officially rebrand the Department by signing an Executive Order on Friday. When leaving the Joint Base Andrews military facility in Maryland on Thursday, Hegseth told reporters: “Thank you for traveling with the War Department!” Hegseth continued dropping hints, later taking to social media and writing “Department of War” as he reposted a news report of the imminent name change.

(Time). Evidently the order originated in the White House (Trump Is Bringing Back the War Department: What to Know).

The previous post in this series is here