How do countries hide their losses during wars?

Question

I know it is normal for countries to deflate their casualty numbers during war, but how do they do it? If for example 1000 soldiers are killed in a month, how could a government claim only 400 were killed without the public discover this to be a lie? Surley the families of the killed soldiers are promptly informed.

In: Other

Answer 1

Think of it this way: out of the 1000 soldiers who died, very few of their families will know each other. So when the government says 400 have been killed there’s no way for individual families to know whether it is true or not. They’d assume their son/daughter was counted in the 400. If the government said no one died then people all over the country would make noise.