Society broadcasts recognizable signals expressing their collective toleration of weapons effects. The limit, or bracket, on these effects may shift as wars prolong and society begins to make judgments on operational employment of specific weapons, and their effects, used to prosecute the war. Society engages in a discourse with the government through the media, acting as a moderator, which provides the most attention to the stronger argument. Astute planners will be able to recognize the public's signals within this debate and identify if strategic leaders should adjust how they legitimize operational actions to the public or if new means are required to achieve operational ends. Through two case studies focusing on the firebombing of WWII and the use of napalm and Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, this monograph identifies how society broadcasts a shift in its tolerance of weapon effects. An in-depth review of newspaper articles during the wars identified five ways these shifts are signaled: stagnate government priming, coverage juxtaposition or media elite cueing, broad demographic unification, a weapon becoming synonymous with the war itself, and scientific or academic evidenced based movements.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited -- Report documentation page. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student author and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.) -- Monograph approval page. 10 May 2016 -- Monograph approval page.

Priming of government and the prudent public through media --Incendiary weapons -- Napalm and agent orange -- Analysis -- Conclusion.