Most updates came from newspaper articles. They were not really reliable because the editorial staff would print whatever viewpoints reflected their own political leanings. Information, at least first-hand, was hard to come by, unlike today's war coverage with correspondents on site and broadcasting live. Frequently there were subjective articles criticising the generals and how the war was conducted. Only when an injured veteran came home with a personal account of a battle or letters sent home would reveal the true, human side of war. Newspapers were highly sought after as a link to the happenings on the battlefield, but they often left people with a one-sided view of the true nature of the fight. They were more of a propaganda tool than today's more objective reportings.