Propaganda & Censorship

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Propaganda & CensorshipCHANGING ATTITUDES Early attitudes among civilians were linked to enthusiasm…

• war seen as a natural part of human evolution (Social Darwinism) to prove cultural superiority• glorious adventure• chance to develop virtues of courage & sacrifice• war expected to be over by Christmas

Propaganda & CensorshipCHANGING ATTITUDES However, as the war dragged on a weariness set in…

• wasteful & senseless sacrifice• grief at casualty lists & personal loss• resignation/acceptance of restrictions (rationing, etc)• opposition to restrictions, conscription• growth of conscientious objectors• opposition to war profiteers• increased industrial action, growth of communism• increasingly fanatical support for war effort

Propaganda & CensorshipCHANGING ATTITUDES Divisions appeared in German & English society (often based along class lines). They generally argued about…

• Negotiating a peace• Continued participation in the war???

• War must be won at all costs

In Germany, strain of war led to collapse of Kaiser’s govt.

In Britain, coalition govt of Lloyd George maintained its authority, began conscription in 1916 (accepted by all except conscientious objectors).

Propaganda & Censorship

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Is an organised scheme to spread/transmit a particular doctrine, practice or point of view.

TYPES OF PROPAGAND

newspapers

posters sermo

schools

books & magazin

esmeetings,

speeches & marches

postcards

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Films• short B&W films of training or camp life to show organisation, work & mateship• melodramatic attempts to demonise enemy

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Newspapers• articles by journalists & war correspondents (many never got near the front!) reporting about heroic acts or barbaric enemy acts• editorials in Britain usually urged men to enlist (Germany already had conscription)• cartoons showed the enemy as diabolical or humorously ineffective; own men as courageous or appealed to help the war effort• photos often carefully posed or composed

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Newspapers

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Newspapers

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Posters• extremely effective• designed to have an immediate emotional rather than intellectual

impact (or absorbed subconsciously)• wide variety of purposes

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Posters

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Sermons• since most people went to church regularly & literacy levels were lower, many looked to their local minister/ priest to express their feelings/thoughts about topics• clergy in all countries supported their own country’s efforts in the war• Catholic Church considereditself neutral & Pope Benedict XV tried number of times to mediate but was rejected by both sides who often considered him to favor their enemies

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Schools• many teachers believed it was their patriotic duty to encourage children to support the war & pressure older male relatives to enlist.• lessons on the enemy’s wickedness & own soldiers’ heroism was common

High school students celebrating the Kaiser’s birthday in 1915.

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Books & magazines

• carried a variety of patriotic articles, stories & comics

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Meetings, speeches & marches

• held more frequently in non-conscription countries• meetings organised by groups that supported the war• speeches (often written up in the press) made at meetings, sporting events & races• marches before embarkation helped raise morale & encouraged others to enlist

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Music• songs encouraged enlistment & morale• military bands in dress uniforms often played at open air events

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Postcards• British postcards often used humour to poke fun at the enemy, suggesting that winning was simple. Postcards helped raise morale at the front

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Postcards•German (& French) postcards stressed the romantic, domestic & chivalrous

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Photographs• published in print media• could be posed or manipulated (composite photos)

Propaganda & CensorshipPROPAGANDA Photographs

Propaganda & CensorshipCENSORSHIP Britain• Defence of the Realm Act 1914 (DORA) gave the govt the power to regulate what/how news was spread & to prosecute those who ‘committed offences’ against these regulations (thus, control of the media)

Propaganda & CensorshipCENSORSHIP Britain

• Ministry of Information sent ‘official’ correspondents, artists & photographers to the front (but not too close to the actual fighting). Only allowed into trenches from Nov 1916• Independent press carefully monitored & pacifist press shut down• Combat was reportedas victory/heroic resistance• Soldiers: many self-censored to spare families worrying, all mail home was inspected

Propaganda & CensorshipCENSORSHIP Britain• Images of dead/wounded were excluded from publication• Newspapers did not always report fully or truthfully & were often

misleading (eg. 1st day of Somme: “Allied Losses Slight”)• By 1918, casualty lists no longer published• Even Parliament could be ‘kept in the dark’

Propaganda & CensorshipCENSORSHIP Germany

• Controlled by High Command (Ludendorff & Hindenburg)• Good news was reported, bad news was not• Misinformation was fed to the public (eg. Leipzig zeppelin sheds not bombed but collapsed under snow)• In final months, public became highly cynical & even Reichstag unaware of real situation

Propaganda & Censorship

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