first, by deciding what we are talking about in a given situation, book, conversation, or study course; second, by determining the responsibilities and authority involved in a given task; or third, by stating the results which are believed to be accomplishable by the designated means. Plainly, the staff officer needs a different definition from the one used by the combat officer; the political leader would use a broader definition than the one required by soldiers; the fanatic would have his own definition or--more probably--two of them; one (such as "promoting democracy" or "awakening the masses") for his own propaganda and another (such as "spreading lies," "corrupting the press," or "giving opiates to the people") for antagonistic propaganda.[14] Definition is not something which can be done once and forever for any military term, since military operations change and since military definitions are critically important for establishing a chain of command. The first method of definition is satisfactory for research purposes; it may help break a politico-military situation down into understandable components. The second method--the organizational--is usable when there exists organization with which to demonstrate the definition, such as, "Propaganda is what OWI and OSS perform." The third method, the operational or historical, is useful in evaluating situations after the time for action has passed; thus, one may say, "This is what the Germans did when they thought they were conducting propaganda." Since the first lesson of all propaganda is _reasoned disbelief_, it would be sad and absurd for anyone to believe propaganda about propaganda. The "propaganda boys" in every army and government are experts at building up favorable cases, and they would be unusual men indeed if they failed to work up a fine account of their own performance. Propaganda cannot be given fair measurement by the claims made for it. It requires judicious proportioning to the military operations of which it is (in wartime) normally a part. =Broad and Narrow Definitions.= The term _propaganda_ springs from the name of that department of the Vatican which had the duty of propagating the faith. A multitude of definitions is available. Among Americans, Walter Lippmann, Harold Lasswell and Leonard W. Doob have done some of the most valuable critical, analytical, and historical writing, but a host of other scholars have also made contributions, some of them works of very real importance.[15] For the purposes of explaining what this book is about, propaganda may be defined as follows: _Propaganda consists of the planned use of any form of communication designed to affect the minds, emotions, and action of a given group for a specific purpose._