ABSTRACT
This chapter explains why the public so strongly supported the Gulf war and accepted at face value whatever they were told by the George Bush administration and Pentagon. During the Gulf war individuals were not merely passive spectators of the media war, but there were active pro- and antiwar demonstrations and organizing. The chapter explores how television (TV) presented the antiwar movement and then discuss some of the ways that prowar groups, the media, and Bush administration mobilized support for the war. The Gulf War was the first war played out on TV with the whole world watching it unfold, often live. Both radiated fear and paranoia, supplementing TV coverage of threats to the public from the evil Iraqis and helping to permeate the culture with fear. The Persian Gulf TV war thus militarized United States (US) culture and throughout the US, the media, schools, churches, circuses, athletic events, and businesses sold patriotism and mobilized support for an aggressive war.
