What is propaganda?

British WWI propaganda poster, welcoming Romania's decision to join the Entente

With the storm of war brewing behind her, a personification of America sleeps.

1917 GERMAN ANTI FRANCE BRITAIN WWI PROPAGANDA POSTER -

A WWI propaganda poster, commissioned by the British Parliamentary Recruiting Committee in 1915. The look on his face suggests he was one of the men who elected not to serve his king and country.

Another propaganda poster, commissioned by the Central Council for the Organisation of Recruiting in Ireland

This poster was entitled "Carry On" and portrays Lady Liberty as accompanying the American troops into battle. It is meant to get people to buy war bonds in order to fund the war effort.

In this propaganda poster, brutal German soldiers recruit a conscript a civilian in occupied Belgium at the point of a gun. Belgian civilians were

sometimes used as forced labour during the war. However, German misdeeds during World War 1, and especially stories of crimes against

civilians, were greatly exaggerated by the Allied war propaganda. During World War 2, however, the German armed forces exceeded all

expectations of brutality and committed crimes far worse than the Allies even imagined; most Nazi atrocities did not come to light until after the

end of World War 2.

Even after the War, British sentiment was strongly against the Germans. This poster reminds its readers that "Once a German, always a German." It also depicts past German brutalities and has a vignette of Edith Cavell's grave and the caption, "1914 to 1918. Never again!"

A French soldier climbing a rock

high into the sky with allied soldiers

following close behind, atop

the rock is an iron cross emblem with the German eagle

on top, blood pouring from its

talons

How was propaganda used during WWI?

Propaganda ensured that the people only got to know what their governments wanted them to know

1. Literature Books Pamphlets Official

publications Ministerial

speeches Royal messages

Press Influencing foreign press

Established telegraphic agencies

Various language editions were issued.

Films By Wellington House:

Britain Prepared Battle of Somme

Posters Recruitment Posters

Atrocity propaganda

Reports- Bryce Report, The Corpse conversion Factory

CONSCRIPTION to military service is a system whereby the state requires all men (and in a few cases women) to serve a period in the armed forces. Begun in Prussia in the 18th century, it was developed by Napoleon in France and thence spread throughout continental Europe

1. When the war reached stalemate -when there was no movement / gain of land during trench warfare... both sides would gain some land, but lose it again because of the poor conditions and different technologies which were introduced during this time

2. Casualties of the Western Front was appalling- more and more soldiers were needed.

3. Reality of war dawned on people- news of horrific casualties became known due to newspapers

As war went on unemployment fell and wages rose so people were not keen to volunteer for military services.