Years back, the global control by the handful of elite was not set as it is today. They still had to contend with cultural differences which changed how they could operate. Nowadays, they attack with little consequence any cultural influences locally that would stand in their way. Aided by decades (perhaps a century really) of propaganda and consolidating their control mechanisms (education, media, information, science, etc) they have weakened the will and critical thinking skills of most to make them easily susceptible to slogan "truths" that are anything but the truth.

For many, the war is over as they can't conceive one has even been taking place. Their experts never mentioned it, so surely there isn't one.