Roselle analyzes how political leaders of powerful states use media to explain military defeats. The cases of the United States in Vietnam and the Soviet Union in Afghanistan highlight the role of great power identity, domestic politics, and media structure.

Communication is central to how we understand international affairs. Political leaders, diplomats, and citizens recognize that communication shapes global politics. This has only been amplified in a new media environment characterized by Internet access to information, social media, and the transformation of who can communicate and how. Soft power, public diplomacy 2.0, network power - scholars and policymakers are concerned with understanding what is happening. This book is the first to develop a systematic framework to understand how political actors seek to shape order through narrative...