Editing Postcard (section)

==== World War I ====
{{main article|Postal censorship}}
Censorship played an important role in the First World War.<ref name=":16">{{Cite web|url=https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/censorship|title=Censorship {{!}} International Encyclopedia of the First World War (WW1)|last=Demm|first=Eberhard|website=International Encyclopedia of the First World War|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200120151713/https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/censorship|archive-date=2020-01-20|access-date=2020-04-03}}</ref> Each country involved utilized some form of censorship. This was a way to sustain an atmosphere of ignorance and give propaganda a chance to succeed.<ref name=":16" /> In response to the war, the United States Congress passed the [[Espionage Act of 1917]] and [[Sedition Act of 1918]]. These gave broad powers to the government to censor the press through the use of fines, and later any criticism of the government, army, or sale of war bonds.<ref name=":16" /> The Espionage Act laid the groundwork for the establishment of a Central Censorship Board which oversaw censorship of communications including cable and mail.<ref name=":16" />

Postal control was eventually introduced in all of the armies, to find the disclosure of military secrets and test the morale of soldiers.<ref name=":16" /> In [[Allies of World War II|Allied countries]], civilians were also subjected to censorship.<ref name=":16" /> French censorship was modest and more targeted compared to the sweeping efforts made by the British and Americans.<ref name=":16" /> In Great Britain, all mail was sent to censorship offices in London or Liverpool.<ref name=":16" /> The United States sent mail to several centralized post offices as directed by the Central Censorship Board.<ref name=":16" /> American censors would only open mail related to Spain, Latin America or Asia—as their British allies were handling other countries.<ref name=":16" /> In one week alone, the San Antonio post office processed more than 75,000 letters, of which they controlled 77 percent (and held 20 percent for the following week).<ref name=":16" />

Soldiers on the front developed strategies to circumvent censors.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web|url=https://ww1.habsburger.net/en/chapters/circumventing-censorship-and-self-censorship|title=Circumventing the censorship and "self-censorship"|website=The World of the Habsburgs|date=11 June 2014 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221102438/https://ww1.habsburger.net/en/chapters/circumventing-censorship-and-self-censorship|archive-date=2018-12-21|access-date=2020-04-02}}</ref> Some would go on "home leave" and take messages with them to post from a remote location.<ref name=":17" /> Those writing postcards in the field knew they were being censored, and deliberately held back controversial content and personal matters.<ref name=":17" /> Those writing home had a few options including free, government-issued field postcards, cheap, picture postcards, and embroidered cards meant as keepsakes.<ref name=":18">{{Cite web|url=https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/war_letters_communication_between_front_and_home_front#Postcards_2C_Parcels_2C_and_Family_Correspondence|title=War Letters: Communication between Front and Home Front {{!}} International Encyclopedia of the First World War (WW1)|last=Hanna|first=Martha|date=2014-10-08|website=International Encyclopedia of the First World War|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326175924/https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/war_letters_communication_between_front_and_home_front|archive-date=2019-03-26|access-date=2020-04-03}}</ref> Unfortunately, censors often disapproved of picture postcards.<ref name=":18" /> In one case, French censors reviewed 23,000 letters and destroyed only 156 (although 149 of those were illustrated postcards).<ref name=":18" /> Censors in all warring countries also filtered out propaganda that disparaged the enemy or approved of atrocities.<ref name=":16" /> For example, German censors prevented postcards with hostile slogans such as "{{Lang|de|Jeder Stoß ein Franzos}}" ("Every hit a Frenchman") among others.<ref name=":16" />