b) Secret codes in newspaper ads

In an unconventional method during the Civil War, soldiers used secret codes in newspaper ads to send messages across enemy lines. This covert communication technique was a creative way to transmit information without arousing suspicion. The use of newspapers, widely circulated and accessible, provided an ideal medium for this purpose. These coded messages often contained strategic or personal information, demonstrating the ingenuity and resourcefulness of individuals in circumventing the challenges of wartime communication. This tactic is an early example of the use of mass media for covert operations in war.