Propaganda in World War Propaganda in World War OneOne

What is Propaganda?What is Propaganda?

•PropagandaPropaganda is is a way that a way that governments governments were able to were able to spread a certain spread a certain message to the message to the people of that people of that country. country.

Why was Propaganda Used?Why was Propaganda Used?• Each of the nations which Each of the nations which

participated in World War participated in World War One from 1914-18 used One from 1914-18 used propaganda posters.propaganda posters.

• They used posters to:They used posters to:1.1. Explain the government’s Explain the government’s

reasons for entering the reasons for entering the warwar

2.2. Recruit men to the army Recruit men to the army (enlist)(enlist)

3.3. A way to raise money and A way to raise money and resources to keep up the resources to keep up the military campaign.military campaign.

4.4. Encourage members of the Encourage members of the country to save resources country to save resources need by the soldiersneed by the soldiers

Why Posters?Why Posters?• Television had not Television had not

yet been inventedyet been invented

• Not everyone Not everyone owned or had owned or had access to a radioaccess to a radio

• Posters were the Posters were the most effective most effective means of getting a means of getting a message acrossmessage across

Government SupportGovernment Support• The purpose of the posters The purpose of the posters

was to make people feel was to make people feel sympathetic to those people sympathetic to those people involved in the war – and involved in the war – and then they would want to then they would want to help out.help out.

• During the Great War the During the Great War the governments needed money governments needed money for the war effort so they for the war effort so they focused their efforts on focused their efforts on posters aimed at raising posters aimed at raising money from citizens for the money from citizens for the war effortwar effort

Why did People Obey the Why did People Obey the Posters?Posters?

• The posters The posters usually had a usually had a negative emotion negative emotion attached to them attached to them making people making people feel guilty and feel guilty and then they would then they would do what they do what they could to helpcould to help

Here are some of the Here are some of the tricks that were used in tricks that were used in

the posters to make the posters to make people listen to their people listen to their

message…message…

•Name CallingName Calling::

hanging a bad hanging a bad label on an idea, label on an idea, symbolized by a symbolized by a hand turning hand turning thumbs down;thumbs down;

Card StackingCard Stacking

• to make the best to make the best case possible for his case possible for his side and the worst side and the worst for the opposing for the opposing viewpoint by viewpoint by carefully using only carefully using only those facts that those facts that support his or her support his or her side of the side of the argumentargument

Band WagonBand Wagon- To convince the To convince the

audience to audience to follow the follow the crowd. crowd.

- ““If everyone If everyone else is doing it, else is doing it, I should too”I should too”

Plain FolksPlain Folks

• To convince the To convince the audience that the audience that the spokesperson is spokesperson is from someone from someone they can trust they can trust and who has their and who has their interests at heart. interests at heart.

Used SymbolsUsed Symbols

- Propagandists - Propagandists often employ often employ symbols (e.g., symbols (e.g., waving the flag) waving the flag) to stir our to stir our emotions and emotions and win our approval. win our approval.

SlogansSlogans– Propagandists would Propagandists would

often use slogans or often use slogans or simple catchphrases with simple catchphrases with language that would language that would make people feel make people feel emotion.emotion.

– They used words likeThey used words like• honor, honor, • glory, glory, • love of country, love of country, • desire for peace,desire for peace,• freedom, and freedom, and • family values. family values.

UK

FRANCE

RUSSIA

GERMANY

ITALY

BELGIUM

USA

CANADA