prop·a·gan·daˌpräpəˈɡandə/

noun1.

derogatoryinformation, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular

political cause or point of view."he was charged with distributing enemy

propaganda"synonyms: information, promotion, advertising,

publicity, spin;

Propaganda in WWI

• The government needed to raise money for the war. They increased taxes on certain items, and sold war bonds.

• President Wilson appoints George Creel(Muckraker)as the head of the CPI(Committee on Public Information), the government’s propaganda agency.

• George Creel used artists and advertising people to create thousands of posters, paintings, and cartoons to promote the war. He distributed pamphlets in many languages.

Common objectives of wartime propaganda

• Recruitment of soldiers or other wartime personnel, either through a draft or voluntary enlistment

• Financing the war effort through the sale of war bonds-loans from citizens through government or new taxes.

• Eliminating dissent and unifying the country behind the war effort.

• Conservation of resources-such as food, oil and steel-necessary to wage war.

• Increase factory production of war materials.

Common tools used in wartime propaganda

• Demonization: portraying the enemy as the devil, menacing, murderous, and aggressive. The propagandist attempts to remove all confusion and ambiguity about whom the public should hate. This tool becomes more powerful when the enemy can be blamed for committing atrocities against women, children or other noncombatants.

• Emotional Appeals: This tool involves playing on people’s emotions to promote the war effort. Since the strongest emotion is often fear, the more frightened the person is, the more likely they are to take action.

• Name Calling: This tool involves using loaded labels to encourage hatred of the enemy. Labels like “Commies”, “Japs”, and “Huns” reinforce negative stereotypes and demonize the enemy.

• Patriotic Appeals: This tool involves using patriotic language or symbols to appeal to people’s national pride.

• Half-Truth or Lies: This tool involves deception or twisting the truth. It may attempt to include some element of truth to make the argument more persuasive. Ex-blaming the enemy for complete responsibility for the war and portraying one’s own country as a victim.

• Catchy Slogans: This tool involves using memorable phrases like “Remember the Maine” and “Remember the Alamo.”

• Evocative Visual Symbols: This tool involves symbols that appeal to the people’s emotions-like flags, statues, mothers and children, and enemy uniforms-to promote the war effort.

• Humor or Caricatures: This tool involves capturing the viewer’s attention through the use of humor to promote the war effort. The enemy is usually the butt of the jokes.

Group Activity

• What technique was used?• What was it trying to get Americans to do?

• What technique would most convince you?• Why?