Help with this sentence fragment containing "思想統制"

Question

I came across this example sentence for the grammar point ~にあって, which indicates that something is under a particular circumstance.

彼女は戦争中、思想統制下にあってなお、自由な精神を持ち続けた。

I understand the first and the last bits, but I cannot figure out the middle fragment 思想統制下にあってなお

思{し}想{そう}統{とう}制{せい} means "thought censorship" according to my dictionary, but other than that I'm not sure what that exactly means. All I can think of is the Thought Police from Orwell's 1984...and I don't think that's it. (I hope so anyway.) I imagine that the 下 is read か, and I gather it means "under thought censorship", but that doesn't really help me understand the meaning. Is this something that is done particularly during wartime? Does this refer to a specific practice or policy, and if so is it enforced, either by the government or some other group, or an individual? Is this more like political censorship?

If this is an internal circumstance (as in in one's mind), how can one have this censorship and retain a 自由な精神, or a "free mind"?

My last (and least pressing) question has to do with the use of なお with にあって...am I right in thinking that it means something more like "even under the circumstances (of thought censorship)..."

All in all, this example sentence raised more questions then it answered...

Answer 1

I think this sentence means something like:

"During the war, in a situation under thought censorship [the restriction of freedom of thought], she still continued to possess a free mind."

I think なお can be translated as "still" here, and that 統制下 generally refers to "under control/regulation (by a state etc)".

Looking at this Hatena::Keyword article, it seems 思想統制 means where policy-makers restrict the freedom of thought of citizens, and the regulation/control of opportunities for expression via publications/speech etc.