In terms of the timing, propaganda can be subdivided into two further categories, strategic and tactical. Strategic propaganda is conducted with no immediate effect in view. Its purpose is to wear down the enemy by psychological changes that may extend over months. Figure 19, warning the Germans of the remote future, is an example of this in leaflet form. Tactical propaganda is operated to accomplish an immediate short-range purpose, and normally does not cover a long time-span. Only in a few cases, such as leaflets for a besieged enemy unit, is tactical propaganda run for a purpose that encompasses a long delay between the operation and the expected result. These two forms may be defined as follows:
_Strategic propaganda_ is directed at enemy forces, enemy peoples, and enemy-occupied areas in their entirety, and--in coordination with strategic planning--is designed to effectuate results planned and sought over a period of weeks, months, or years.
_Tactical propaganda_ is directed at specific audiences, usually named, and is prepared and executed in support of localized combat operations.
Another set of distinctions can be set up, depending on the relationship of the propaganda operation to the simultaneous hostile propaganda operations, namely offensive or defensive propaganda. Before the advent of World War II, this distinction appeared to be significant but experience on almost all fronts indicated that it meant little when applied to day-in day-out necessities of actual practice. Propaganda is so intimately keyed to the news and opinion situation that it does not usually bear elaborate pre-operational analysis. Elaborate planning very often ends up in the locked files; the distinction of offensive and defensive means little in routine work. However, for the sake of the record, the distinction can be listed:
_Defensive propaganda_ is designed to maintain an accepted and operating form of social or other public action. (Soviet propaganda for the Five Year Plans is a conspicuous instance.)
_Offensive propaganda_ is designed to interrupt social action not desired by the propagandist, or to predispose to social action which he desires, either through _revolutionary_ means (within the same society) or _international_, either diplomatic or belligerent (between different societies).