Evaluating the Impact of an Image of the Enemy on the Population’s Perceptions of Preventive Wars

Abstract

The social construction of an image of enemy is important for a party of a conflict, with no regard to its military or economic might. The construction of such an image becomes especially important when planning and conducting a preventive war It justifies aggression, generates hostility towards the enemy, strengthens emotional resilience, secures international support, weakens the enemy alliance, undermines morale, and reduces the opposing nation's will for conflict. Hence this issue must not be neglected by an attacking party. Similar to such conventional means of war as small arms, combat aircraft, warships, tanks, etc. produced to physically destroy the enemy’s combatants, transport, and infrastructure, the image of an enemy constructed by propaganda can be an effective mean of waging war against the enemy. The efficiency of weapons can be measured by counting its firepower, destructive effect, armor, speed, and other technical specifications. But, to what extent is it possible to evaluate the impact of the created image of an enemy on the minds of the target audiences? Using mixed method of analysis, and an in-depth case study of the war between the Soviet Union and Finland (1939-1940), I propose a three-level model of evaluation of the impact of constructed enemy image.