Abstract：

After the outbreak of the First World War, the British Parliament passed the law of censorship, which was implemented by the Press Bureau and Military Officers. The military imposed strict restrictions on reporters' coverage of front-line battles. The Associated Newspaper led by Lord Northcliffe tried every method to approach the truth in the battlefield. Through exposing the “shell crisis”, ineffectiveness of conscription system and the failure of the Gallipoli Campaign, the public questioned the Liberal Cabinet's poor organization of the war and Lord Kitchener's leadership, which finally led to the collapse of the Asquith government. After Lloyd George took office, he improved the government's decision-making efficiency and executive capacity, and changed the Britain's passive state in the war. The Associated Newspaper insisted on the independence of the press and played the role of media supervision, which was one of the factors for Britain to achieve victory in the war.

Published on Economic and Social History Review, Issue 1, 2023.