Information warfare seeks to influence decisions through the information people receive, and it long predates social media. Before 1914, the British Army spent years circulating reports to ministers, MPs and other decision-makers about its role in a European war. The Imperial General Staff extended that effort to the empire and dominions. The Royal Navy relied more heavily on professional trust and historical precedent, with a reluctance to share or write down operational plans. By the time naval staff work developed, the Army had accumulated a much stronger documentary case for sending the British Expeditionary Force to France. Institutional habits and civil-military communication had influenced national strategy before fleets or armies entered combat.
Notable Point · 1:00-4:42
Army staff work shapes Britain's 1914 strategy
Years of British Army staff reports helped shape the decision to send the British Expeditionary Force to France, while the Royal Navy relied on professional trust and historical precedent.