G E R M A N A N D A M E R I C A N P R O PA G A N D A D U R I N G W W I IB Y : M A D D I E S H I F L E T T

VOLKSEMPFÄNGER

Volksempfänger Model VE301

• Means “The People’s Receiver”

• Joseph Goebbels’* way of

reaching the German people.

*Minister of the Nazi Propaganda Ministry

INTRODUCTION

• Propaganda has a very broad definition.

• German and American propaganda during

World War II had different:

➢Themes

➢Methods of creation

➢Aims

• Propaganda had a large role in the defeat of

Nazi German in 1945. Example of propaganda: Poster for the 1943

cartoon, “Der Fuehrer’s Face”, by Disney

THESIS

• German propaganda had more shortcomings than American propaganda.

• German propaganda failed because it was based in exaggeration and lies.

• Germany could not win the war without adequate support from home.

T H E M E S O F G E R M A N P R O PA G A N D AW H AT M A J O R T H E M E S W E R E F O U N D W I T H I N G E R M A N P R O PA G A N D A , A N D H O W D I D T H I S R E L AT E T O I T S E F F E C T I V E N E S S ?

ANTI-SEMITISM

“This is the cause of war.” “The Jew- Inciter of War,

Prolonger of War.”“Behind the enemy

powers: the Jew.”

ARYANISM

“The German Student. Fight

for the Fuhrer and the

People.”

“The Illustrated Family-Bible for

the Super Race.”

“Build Youth Hostels and

Homes”

GLORIFICATION OF HITLER

“One people, one empire,

one Fuhrer!”“Long live Germany!” “Yours to the Fuhrer”

FEAR

“Bolshevism brings war,

unemployment, and famine.”

“The enemy sees your

light. Turn it off!”

“Bolshevism means the world

will drown in blood.”

T H E M E S O F A M E R I C A N P R O PA G A N D AW H AT M A J O R T H E M E S W E R E F O U N D W I T H I N A M E R I C A N P R O PA G A N D A , A N D H O W D I D T H I S R E L AT E T O I T S E F F E C T I V E N E S S ?

PATRIOTISM

Patriotic symbol of a worker Uncle Sam, calling

everyone to help protect America’s freedoms.

Disney participated in the creation of

propaganda, such as this poster of Mickey

Mouse urging people to join in the war

effort.

This enlistment poster uses the

American flag as an emotive

symbol.

UNITY

First steps at racial integration developed,

in part, from the Second World War.

This poster emphasizes that the war cannot

be won without a group effort.

“Rosie the Riveter” motivated Americans to

work together, but spoke more specifically to

women stepping up to factory jobs during the

war.

GUILT

The American soldier was often used in

propaganda to remind people of the

sacrifices others were making.

With patriotic symbols, this poster put

the pressure on individuals not taking

part.

By portraying this soldier as wounded,

people were reminded that some were

going through more trouble for their

country.

REVENGE

Posters like these were common in the early stages of the war, when Pearl Harbor was still fresh in everyone’s

minds. It was a rallying cry for every American to get behind.

FEAR

“Careless talk” pieces scared

Americans into being watchful over

what details they shared.

Fear of capitulation from defeat was an

ever-present thought.

This poster featured a small child to

get a more emotional effect.

RACISM

Racist portrayals of the Japanese in posters, comics, and cartoons contributed to the eventual internment of Japanese

Americans by normalizing negative stereotypes.

A I M S O F G E R M A N P R O PA G A N D AW H AT G O A L S D I D G E R M A N

P R O PA G A N D A S E E K TO C A R RY O U T ?

BUILD SUPPORT FOR HITLER

• Goebbels assigned the task to

getting Germans to support Hitler.

• Involved indoctrination.

• Early aim of propaganda.

Hitler meeting with young German boys

NORMALIZE VIOLENCE AGAINST JEWS

• Newsreel footage of violence.

• Stereotypical representation of

Jews.

• Blaming Jews.

Movie poster for 1940 film, Der Ewige Jew

(The Eternal Jew)

RAISE MORALE

Starving boy during Germany’s

depression,1930s.

Group of German women, 1940

Propaganda compared conditions during the Depression to conditions in

the 1940’s.

BREAK DOWN THE ENEMY

German leaflet dropped to American soldiers, discussing

futility and death that accompanies war. Comic dropped to American

soldiers, showing FDR as the Grim

Reaper.

German propaganda focused on convincing Allies that war was not worth

the trouble.

A I M S O F A M E R I C A N P R O PA G A N D AW H AT G O A L S D I D A M E R I C A N

P R O PA G A N D A S E E K TO C A R RY O U T ?

PROVIDE THE TRUTH

Image from a newsreel displaying footage

from the front.

President FDR delivering his

“Fireside Chats” over radio.

The U.S. was dedicated to showing what was really going on overseas.

RAISE MORALE

• Keeping people happy meant

keeping people involved.

• Morale of the soldiers was

important to sustaining the war

effort.

Image from Frank Capra’s Why We Fight film series

GET PEOPLE INVOLVED

Private businesses reiterated that no job was too small when it pertained to the war effort.

There were other roles to be filled besides enlisting in the military.

MAKE THE ALLIES LOOK GOOD

Leaflet dropped in Japan, warning civilians to evacuate

before a bombing. Leaflet dropped to Germans before D-Day,

promising fair treatment in return for

surrender.

Americans focused on rallying support and favor from enemy populations.

C R E AT I O N O F G E R M A N P R O PA G A N D AH OW D I D I T S C R E AT I O N R E L AT E TO

I T S E F F E C T I V E N E S S ?

BASED ON MEIN KAMPF

• Inspired by the U.S.’s CPI from WWI.

• The Nazi propaganda machine was started before the

outbreak of war.

• Goebbels’ used Hitler’s ideas about effective propaganda

when creating his own for the Nazis. Copy of Mein Kampf

in English

JOSEPH GOEBBELS AND HIS PRO-MI

“A lie told once remains a lie, but a lie

told a thousand times becomes the

truth.”

• The Propaganda Ministry was created in 1933.

• Goebbels given the task to build support for Hitler

and the Nazis.

• The Propaganda Ministry controlled the flow of all

information in Germany.

C R E AT I O N O F A M E R I C A N P R O PA G A N D AH OW D I D I T S C R E AT I O N R E L AT E TO

I T S E F F E C T I V E N E S S ?

THE OWI AND OSS

• The propaganda machine in the U.S. began

after the start of the war.

• The Office of War Information and the

Office of Strategic Services were created

as propaganda departments.

• The public pressured the U.S. government

to create departments for propaganda

during the war. The Office of War Information in operation.

FDR’S ROLE

• FDR was extremely hesitant to create

propaganda, but eventually had to give in.

• Fireside Chats

• Dedicated to keeping propaganda truthful.

FDR speaks with Britain’s prime minister, Winston Churchill.

THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR

• The private sector got involved

with propaganda before the

government.

• Citizens were given access to the

flow of information.

• Freedom of press

1943 cover of Life magazine

WHERE DID GERMAN PROPAGANDA FALL SHORT?

• Rooted in lies and exaggerations

• Propaganda failed to break the will

of Germany’s enemies

• Propaganda failed to keep the

support and faith of Germany’s

citizens Distressed German soldier on the Russian front.

HOW WAS AMERICAN PROPAGANDA MORE SUCCESSFUL?

• Based in truth.

• Allowed American citizens to interpret

events for themselves

• Good conditions at home.

• Succeeded in changing the minds of enemy

populations.

Poster for the USO, which provided

entertainment for soldiers.

HOW DID THIS CONTRIBUTE TO GERMANY’S DEFEAT IN 1945?

• With the loss of support from the

German populace, the Nationalist

Socialist Party in Germany did not last.

• Soldiers started to defect.

• Allied Powers were not broken down

by German propaganda. Newspaper announcing defeat of Germany, 1945

EVIDENCE OF PROPAGANDA’S ROLE IN GERMANY’S DEFEAT

BATTLE OF STALINGRAD OPERATION VALKYRIE

Russian soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad Hitler’s “Wolfsschanze” destroyed after failed assassination

attempt in 1944.

Both of these events undermined the authority of the Propaganda Ministry.

CONCLUSION

• The German war effort failed militarily and

ideologically. The failure of propaganda

contributed to Germany’s defeat.

• Important for understanding how propaganda

operates and can be used to hide things from

civilians.

• Propaganda’s role in the defeat of Germany

should be of more emphasis in modern

historical discussions.

BIBLIOGRAPHY• Baird, Jay W. The Mythical World of Nazi War Propaganda, 1939-1945. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1974.

• Balfour, Michael. Propaganda in War, 1939-1945. Boston, MA: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1979.

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• Childs, Harwood L., and John B. Whitton, eds. Propaganda by Short Wave. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1942.

• Cripps, Thomas, K.R.M. Short, David Culbert, and David Welch. Film & Radio Propaganda in World War II. Edited by K.R.M. Short. Knoxville, TN: The University of Tennessee Press, 1983.

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• Miles, Hannah. "WWII Propaganda: The Influence of Racism." University of Missouri. March 2012. Accessed November 2017. https://artifactsjournal.missouri.edu/2012/03/wwii-propaganda-the-influence-of-racism/.

BIBLIOGRAPHY CONTINUED

• NARA. "Powers of Persuasion: Poster Art from World War II." The National Archives. Accessed November 2017. https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasion_intro.html.

• Rhodes, Anthony. Propaganda: The Art of Persuasion, World War II. Edited by Victor Margolin. Langhorne, PA: Chelsea House Publishers, 1976.

• Stout, Michael J. "The Effectiveness of Nazi Propaganda During World War II." PhD diss., Eastern Michigan University, 2011.

• Weber, Mark. "Goebbels' Place in History." The Journal of Historical Review 15, no. 1 (Jan. & Feb. 1995): 19-21. Accessed November 2017. http://www.ihr.org/jhr/v15/v15n1p18_Weber.html.

• Wilcott, Jennifer M. "Wartime Art: A Study of Political Propaganda and Individual Expression in American Commercial and Combat Art during World War II." Master's thesis, University of New York College at Buffalo, 2013.

• Winkler, Allan M. The Politics of Propaganda: The Office of War Information, 1942-1945. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1978.