本文透過大量與警察相關的文獻，試圖以「警察之眼」去探看戰爭時期臺灣社會流言蜚語的發生原因、流布概況與治安當局的因應之道。另一方面，嘗試分析流言蜚語的內容，並與時代背景相互連結，以了解戰時社會中人們在意、關心、憂慮、恐懼、抱怨、期望的事物。在這樣雙重的企圖下，觀察到當時警察眼中的流言蜚語是由於變動不安的環境與心理、民眾無知的狀態，以及敵人故意散播而形成，對戰時社會尤其具有負面作用，必須透過宣導與取締全力遏止。同時從時人的經驗裡，映照出警察箝制言論的高壓監控方式令多數臺灣民眾噤若寒蟬的實像。

The purpose of the present study was to investigate why rumors started, how rumors spread, and how the police prevented rumors in wartime Taiwan based on a large amount of police-related data. In addition, the present study aimed to reveal what people cared for, worried about, feared of, complained about, and hoped for in wartime Taiwan by analyzing content of the rumors and connecting the rumors with background of wartime.Based on the above analyses, it was established that, in wartime Taiwan, the police thought the rumors were attributed to changes in environments, mass agitation, public ignorance, and the enemy. Because of their negative effects on society during wartime, the rumors must be prohibited through persuasion and suppression done by the police. Additionally, an investigation of wartime people experience also revealed their fear and silence caused by the police's high-handed ways of controlling public opinion.